Broken
by amdo
Summary: With the curse broken, the residents of Pixfare struggle between their original and cursed memories, and are left wondering of the fate of their world.
1. Broken

**_And now for season 2_**  
**_Though just like in the show, there will be several twists, and might not follow some of the movies exactly. _**

* * *

In New York City, a woman in business attire walked through the streets. She traveled by foot, then by subway, until arriving at her apartment. Inside, she noticed that it started raining and that she left the window open. As the woman tried to close the window, she drops her cell phone down the fire escape. Frustrated, she leaned on a desk, lowering her head against the window sill. She looked up to see a balloon fly into the window with the string tied to a postcard. The word 'Broken' was written on one side, while the other had a picture of the Pixfare Clock Tower.

* * *

On the main street of Pixfare, the purple smoke had dissipated. Laura Reed and Clark, who had been clinging to each other, finally broke apart, looking around.

"What's happening?"

"I'm not sure. Let's find out."

Holding hands, the two began walking down the street.

* * *

Michelle looked at Ellen with a tearful smile. "Mum!"

"Oh, darling." Ellen hugged Michelle and kissed her face repeatedly.

Peter came up running towards them. "Elinor! Merida!" He hugged them both, then grabbed Ellen and kissed her.

* * *

The counterparts of the toys saw a teenage boy who had reunited with his mother and sister.

"Andy!" Jim cried as they came over to him.

Andy looked at the group skeptically, but then his face lit up. "Hey! Wow!" He cried and ran to them, excited. "Woody! Guys! I thought you all got thrown away."

"Well, we almost were." Larry started to explain, giving Andy's mom a look. "But then we went to daycare."

"You're not freaked out that we're alive?" Jim wondered.

"Nah. You guys have always been alive to me. Especially when I played with you."

They all shared an emotional group hug.

* * *

Ray was surrounded by the counterparts of the Radiator Springs cars. "It's great to see you, everybody."

"McQueen!" They all turned around and see Matt running towards them.

"Mater!" Ray smiled.

"McQueen!"

They greeted each other with an elaborate fist bump. "Mater, it's so good to see you."

"You too, buddy."

Sarah came over and took Ray's hand. They faced each other.

"McQueen and Sally parked beneath the tree," Matt interrupted. "K-i-s-s... uh... i-n-t!"

Ray half-smiled. "You haven't changed a bit, Mater."

* * *

Evelyn was planting a small garden in her backyard. Walter soon appeared and approached her.

"Ee-Eevah?"

"Wall-E?" She gasped, looking up at him. "Wall-E!" Evelyn stood up and scooped him up in her arms, spinning him around, laughing. She stopped spinning and rested her head on his shoulder.

He leaned his head against hers. They stared into each other's eyes. Their foreheads touched, and they kissed.

* * *

"Dad!" Alex cried, running up to Martin.

"Nemo!" He kneeled and gathered him in his arms. "Oh, son. I'll never let you out of my sight again."

"How can we breathe out here on land?"

"I guess because the curse turned us into humans."

"Oh. Hey, I still got my lucky fin." Alex showed him his little arm.

* * *

John and Robert looked at themselves, shocked.

"I don't believe it."

"Mike-"

"We're humans! In the human world!"

"There you are, Googley Bear!" Amelia came over, smiling at Robert.

"Schmoopsie-poo!" They ran up to each other and kissed.

* * *

The counterparts of the Emotions had mixed feelings about seeing each other again.

"Can't you believe it, guys?" Audrey excitedly to Freddy, Naida, Mindy, and Lewis. "We're actually outside of Riley's mind! Is it amazing?!"

"But where's Riley?" Freddy glanced around, nervously. "What if something happens to her?"

Then they turned around to see a girl who was reunited with her parents emotionally.

"Riley!" The emotions called as they came over the family.

"I can't believe we get to meet you in person!" Audrey said excitedly. "I'm Joy, this is Sadness, that's Anger, this is Disgust, and that Fear. We're your emotions!"

Riley looked at them, shocked. "You-you're my emotions? The voices in my head?"

"Well, yes." Mindy said shyly.

"Oh, thank you for saving our daughter from running away to Minnesota." Jill said to Mindy.

"It was Sadness that stopped her." Audrey corrected her. "Anger gave the idea," She glared at Lewis. "But then Sadness took it away."

"Yes, that running away idea was Anger's idea. And the console almost turned grey." Nadia glared at Lewis.

"Hey, I did it for us!" Lewis angrily shouted. "Hey, guys, calm down." Audrey settled Naida and Lewis down. "At least we're back together again." She said cheerfully.

"Yes, we are." Jill smiled, putting her arms around Riley's shoulders.

"I'm just glad we're back together." Bill said emotionally. "I missed my little monkey."

"I missed you too, Dad." Riley hugged him and then they started making monkey noises.

Audrey laughed, and then looked at the other emotions. "Come on, group hug for this family reunion. You too, Anger."

"Do I have to?" He whined. "You know I don't do hugs."

* * *

"¡Mamá, Papá!" Miguel ran towards his family, in tears.

Enrique and Luisa turned when they heard a voice. "Miguel!" They cried and ran to the boy.

"I missed you guys so much!" Miguel said.

"We missed you too, mijo." Luisa was also crying as the two hugged their son.

"¡Miguel!" The other adults came running to him.

"¡Abeulita! Everyone!" Miguel ran to hug them. "Tía Victoria? Tío Oscar? Tío Felipe? You guys are alive?"

"It must be from the curse." Oscar said, looking at his skin,

Soon, all their cousins ran to them "¡Primo!"

"¡Abel! ¡Rosa!" Miguel hugged them both and then leaned down to hug Benny and Manny.

"Oh, Miguel. We missed you so much." Rosa said and looked at Victoria, Oscar, and Felipe.

"I missed you, too." Miguel replied. "I thought I'd never see you guys again."

"I wonder, how did you guys come to life?" Gloria asked as she and Berto came in.

"I have a feeling this has something to do with the Curse." Victoria suggested.

"At least all of our familia is back together again." Elena said.

"Hey, Mamá Imelda is here too." Miguel mentioned.

"Guess so." Berto said. "Just be happy that we're family again."

"You're right." Luisa smiled. "We're all together now, that's what matters."

Then Miguel heard a dog's bark coming in the distance. "Hey, Dante!" Miguel cried, and the dog ran into his open arms. "Great to see ya, boy!" Dante licked on Miguel's face and begin to laugh.

* * *

As Clark and Laura Reed continued down the street, two kids came running up to them.

"Mom! Dad! Hey!" Violet cried.

"Kids!" Clark smiled.

Their enthused greetings run over each other.

"Oh, you're all right!"

"We were so worried about you."

"I thought I'd never see you again." They all shared a family hug.

"Does this mean the curse is broken?" Dash wondered.

"Yes, it does." Clark nodded.

"So what do we do now?" Violet asked.

"Now? Now we find Jack-Jack." Laura Reed replied, looking at Clark.

"So it's true." A voice came from behind her.

Laura Reed and Clark turned around surprised to see Jack. She cupped his face and hugged him as she started to cry. "You found us." Clark joined in on the hug.

After a while, Clark pulled back. "You probably don't remember your brother and sister."

"Jack-Jack's a grown-up?" Dash stared at him, shocked.

"I have siblings?" Jack looked speechless. "I-I always thought I was an only child."

"It's ok." Laura Reed put a hand on his shoulder. "You were just a baby."

"Great to see you again, little brother." Dash playfully punched his arm.

"More like a big brother." added Violet.

Hilary soon came over to them. "Grandpa?" Laura Reed laughed.

"Yeah, kid. I guess so." Clark put an arm around Hilary and hugged her. "Meet your aunt and uncle." He gestured toward Dash and Violet.

"Hey, I've seen you guys at school. I knew you looked familiar. I tried to tell him, but he didn't believe me."

"We have a niece?!" Dash and Violet both said, looking even more shocked.

"He did it. He saved you." Hilary smiled.

"He saved all of us." added Laura Reed.

Jack looked at them, still speechless. "I... Well..."

"Uh, then why are we still here?" Bart asked as the toys approached the group. "And what was that smoke?" Jim asked.

"Who did this?" Questioned Larry.

"And why?" Jessie wondered.

"And what was that smoke?" Rex repeated.

"Magic." Sister Julia replied, joining the group. "It's here. I can feel it."

"Magic? In Pixfare?" Hilary wondered.

"I say we go to the person responsible for bringing it- Syndrome." Declared Bart. The other toys nodded in agreement.

"No. Wait." Jack interrupted. "It wasn't Derek."

* * *

"_Mi amor_, you must tell me what happened to you." Ms. Cordwain looked at Hector almost pleadingly.

"One minute I was on the brink of fading, the curse hit, and the next thing I know... I woke up here. I've been in a coma."

"For 28 years. All these years, you've been here." She sighed and put her head in her hands. "_Ay_, how could I have been so blind?"

"It's ok. It's not your fault." He put his arms around her. "You didn't know."

She looked up at him. "Come stay with me." She almost lost him once, and she wasn't going to let him go again.

"I would love to." he smiled.

* * *

The Incredibles, the toys, and Julia walked down the street.

"Is there anything that you wanna ask us?" Laura Reed asked Jack. "You must have questions."

"Only for Ms. Wood. Why did she double-cross me, and what did she do to this town?"

"Uh... Shouldn't we talk about... it first?"

"What?"

"Us? Your life? Everything?"

"Can we do 'everything' maybe later, like, with a glass of wine... or several bottles."

"I know it's a lot to take in, for all of us." Clark chimed in.

"And we don't want to push, but we've waited for this moment for so long." Laura Reed added.

"Yeah, so have I!" Jack turned around and faced them. "I've thought about this moment my whole life. I've imagined who you might be. But of all the scenarios that I concocted, my parents being... I-I just need a little time. That's-that's all."

They suddenly heard a commotion in the distance. Many of the townspeople, including Dr. Whale, ran through the streets.

Felix came running toward the group. "There you are. Come with me. I need your help. Dr. Whale's whipped everyone into a frenzy. They're going to Derek's house. They're gonna kill him."

"Great. Let's watch." Bart smiled eagerly.

"No. No. We can't stoop to his level." Felix refused. "No matter who he is or what he's done, killing him is wrong."

"He's right." Hilary looked at Jack, pleading. "Please. He's still my dad."  
Jack looked at Hilary and then at his parents. "We have to stop them."

"If Atta is right and magic is here, we could have our powers back. That also means Syndrome has his weapons again." Clark added.

"They could be marching into a slaughter." He, Dash, Violet, and Laura Reed shared a glance, nodding. They took off running down the street, after the mob.

* * *

Ms. Cordwain and Hector soon arrived at her house. "_Espera aqui_. I'm gonna find you something to wear. You've spent enough time in these rags."

"_Gracias_."

Ms. Cordwain went upstairs while he waited.

* * *

The angry mob has reached Derek's house. Dr. Whale banged on the door. "Open up, or we're coming in!" He banged on the door again.

"Can I help you?" Derek casually answered the door.

"That smirk isn't gonna last forever, Syndrome. You took everything from us, and now-"

"What? Now you're gonna kill me?"

"Eventually, but first you need to suffer."

Derek stepped outside and pushed Dr. Whale off the step. "Listening to you has been enough suffering for all of us." He turned to address the crowd. "That's right. You wanted to see your superhero? Well, folks," Derek slowly raised his arms and enunciated. "Here... he... is!" Wearing his gauntlets, Derek extended his arms and pointed forward. The crowd ducked, expecting blasts, but nothing happened.

"He's powerless!" The crowd shouted.

"What?" Derek stared at his wrists, shocked.

"Get him! Don't let him get away!"

Dr. Whale and the crowd moved toward Derek. "Now..." He shoved him up against the doorway column. "Where were we?" As he raised his hands toward Derek's throat, Jack came rushing through the crowd, with the rest of the group behind him.

"Let him go! Let him go! Let him go!" Jack grabbed Dr. Whale's arm, pulling him away.

"Why should I listen to you?"

"Because I'm still the Sheriff."

"Because he saved you, all of you." Clark added.

"And because no matter what Syndrome did, it doesn't justify this." Laura Reed stepped in.

"We're not murderers here." Jack glared at Dr. Whale.

"Well, we're not from this world."

"Yeah, well, you're in it now."

Clark put himself between Dr. Whale and Derek. "Okay, Whale, we're done."

Dr. Whale pushed back. "Back off. You're not my superhero."

Clark paused for a moment. "Who are you, Whale?"

"That's my business."

"Well, my business is making sure this town doesn't go to ruin, so whether or not I'm your superhero isn't the issue. We have a lot to figure out, and this isn't the way to do it."

Laura Reed moved next to Derek, holding her arms up to the crowd. "And Syndrome's death won't provide any answers. He needs to be locked up for his safety, and more importantly, for ours."

* * *

At the Sheriff's station, Jack and Laura Reed watched as Clark locked Derek in a cell.

"So, I'm a prisoner now?"

"If the curse is broken, why didn't we go back?" Clark asked.

"Because there's nothing to go back to. That world is gone."

"We should get to Wood." Laura Reed suggested.

Derek angrily watched them leave the station. He took a small bomb from his right-hand gauntlet and stuck in the lock on the door, but it didn't explode.

"Weapons are different here, dearie." Ms. Wood soon entered the station.

"I noticed. I'm guessing this is all your doing."

"Most things are."

"Get to it, witch. What do you want? You here to finish the job?"

"No, no, no. You're safe from me."

"Oh, I feel so relieved." He said sarcastically.

"Ah-ha! There you are!" Ms. Cordwain stormed into the room, angrily glaring at Derek. She pulled off her boot and smacked him across the face with it. "That's for what you did to the love of my life!"

"He's alive?" He rubbed his face, slightly dazed.

"Don't you lie to me!" She pointed her boot in his face.

"I could have left him back there and let him fade away, but I didn't."

"Yeah, you did much worse than that. You kept him barely alive so you could kill him when it suited you. A fate worse than death. Which, by the way, is exactly what I've got in store for you." She reached through the bars, grabbing his ear and plucked a strand of hair from his head.

"Ow!" Derek pulled back and glared at her. "That's it? That was your big threat?"

"Oh, no. Just you wait."

* * *

In the woods, Ms. Cordwain looked to the sky, put two fingers to her mouth, and let out a piercing whistle. A giant, multicolored, winged jaguar landed in front of her. She held out the strand of hair. Pepita sniffed the hair's scent. Suddenly her head darted, narrowing in on the scent. She took to the air.

* * *

Clark and Laura Reed watched as Jack loaded Dash, Violet, and Hilary into Michelle's car.

"Keep her safe, guys." The car then drove off.

Clark looked at her as if he could tell what she was thinking. "Don't push it, Helen."

"I won't."

"You guys ready?" Jack approached them.

"We need to talk."

"I- Well, I don't- I just- I don't want to talk."

"But I do. Ok, Wood can wait. I can't. And you're my son, and... I want to talk to you. I know that we have talked, but we didn't know that we were talking, and we talked about things we probably shouldn't have even talked about- One-night stands and the like."

"One-night stands?" Clark looked shocked.

"Whale."

"Whale?"

"We were cursed. That's neither here nor there. The point is, we didn't know that we were mother and son, and now we do, and so... please, let's talk."

"Okay. What do you want to talk about?"

"We're together finally... and I can't help but think you're not happy about it."

"Oh, I am," Jack assured her. "But... see... here's the thing. No matter what the circumstances, for 28 years, I only knew one thing- that my parents sent me away."

"We did that to give you your best chance."

"You did it for everyone because that's who you are- superheroes, and that's great and-and amazing, but it doesn't change the fact that for my entire life I've been alone."

Laura Reed had to admit he did have a point. "But if we hadn't sent you away, you would've been cursed, too."

"But we would've been together. Which curse is worse?" Jack paused for a moment. "Come on. Let's- let's go find Wood."

Clark and Laura Reed joined hands as they watched Jack walk away.

* * *

Jack, Clark, and Laura Reed arrived at Ms. Wood's store.

"What can I do for you?" She looked up from the piece she was carving.

"What you can do is tell us what you did." Jack demanded.

"I'm sorry. You're gonna have to be more specific."

"You know what we're talking about." Clark chided.

"You double-crossed Jack-Jack, you, uh, took your potion from him..." Laura Reed added.

"And did who knows what to this town."

"And worst of all, you risked Hilary's life." Jack seethed.

Ms. Wood looked slightly impressed. "Well, that's quite a litany of grievances, now isn't it?"

"Maybe I don't need answers. Maybe I just need to punch you in the face." Jack threatened.

Ms. Wood laughed. "Really, dearie?" She came from behind the counter. "Allow me to answer your questions with some of my own. All right? Did your dear girl Hilary, survive?"

"Yeah."

"Is the curse broken? And let's see, uh, Jack, how long have you been searching for your parents? It looks like you're reunited. Seems like rather a punch in the face, I deserve a thank-you."

"Twist my words all you want. What was the purple haze that you brought?"

"You know... magic."

"Why?" Laura Reed asked.

"Not telling."

The ground suddenly began to rumble, causing the store to shake. Car alarms wailed from outside.

"What was that?"

Clark and Laura Reed looked out the door window. Pepita was heard, roaring, and a strong wind blew through the street. Streetlights flickered and sparks flew.

"Jack-Jack, come on." Clark urged. "We need to go take care of this."

"We're not done."

"Oh, I know. You still owe me a favor."

Jack nodded and the three of them hurried out the door.

* * *

From the shoe shop window, Hector watched the commotion happening outside. He turned to face Ms. Cordwain. "Imelda, how did your _alebrije_ get here?"

"I brought her here to take care of Syndrome."

"But this is the living world. She could kill him."

She scoffed. "That man deserves it after what he's done."

Shocked, he headed for the door. He paused with the door open, looking back at her, and then left, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Derek looked around as the station's lights flickered. "Hello? Who's there?"

Pepita suddenly appeared. She ripped off the door to Derek's cell with her claws. He screamed and stood against the wall.

Suddenly, Mr. Incredible appeared. "Hey!" He punched Pepita in the side. She sent him flying across the room. Elastigirl tried to enter the fray and Pepita moved a desk, making her stretch back against the wall. The creature then sent the desk toward Mr. Incredible, who narrowly avoided it, and then continued to attack Derek.

Jack tried shooting his laser vision but to no avail. He set himself aflame and extended the fire toward the creature. Pepita then flew out the window."

Jack-Jack, you..." Laura Reed stared at Jack, shocked while Clark came back in the room. "You still have your powers."

"Yeah." Jack went to help Derek stand up. "What was that thing?"

"One of those spirit creatures from the Land of the Dead. It'll be back. It doesn't stop until it pleases its master." Derek explained.

"Then we have a problem."

"No, we don't. Syndrome does." Clark retorted.

"What?"

"Bob!" Laura Reed gave him a look.

"You wanna let him die?" Jack chided.

"Why not? Then that thing goes away. Then we're safe."

"That's quite an example you're setting for your son there." Derek accused.

"No. You don't get to judge us." Clark angrily pointed at Derek.

"Let me ask you something. Where do you think that thing came from? Cordwain."

"I made a promise to Hilary. He's not dying." Jack reminded Clark. Derek looked shocked.

"What do you suggest?" Laura Reed asked.

"Send it back where it came from." Derek replied.

* * *

In the mayor's office at the town hall, Jack watched as Derek set a door against the wall.

"Did Hilary really ask you to protect me?"

"Yes." Jack recognized the door. "A door. You had one of those all along."

"What do you mean?"

"That's one of the monsters' doors."

"What monsters?"

Still dressed in their supersuits, Clark and Laura Reed entered carrying brooms. "Torches for when it comes back. I know it's old-fashioned, but so am I."

"So... how does it work?" Jack wondered.

* * *

The group entered the main hall, carrying the door.

"This door leads to our world. All we have to do is send the creature in there." Derek instructed.

"Oh, yeah. Just that." Clark said sarcastically.

"I don't understand, I thought our land was gone." Laura Reed chimed in.

Jack began lighting the brooms with his fire powers.

"It is. But sending it to a place that no longer exists... Well, that's banishing it to oblivion." Derek began to attempt to power the door; the lights flickered and the growling was heard.

"Syndrome..." Jack started getting nervous.

"I'm trying."

They heard roaring, and the doors blew open. Pepita entered the main hall. Clark readied himself to fight it with a torch on one side of a railing; Derek continued to attempt to open the door with Jack and Laura Reed on the other side.

"Syndrome." Jack repeated.

"I know."

Clark battled the creature; Laura Reed poured alcohol along the railing. "Bob!"

Clark closed the gate of the railing and set it alight with his torch "Hurry!"

"It's not working!" Derek shouted.

Clark continued to slash at the creature with his torch.

Derek was getting frustrated trying to open the door. "It's not working!"

"What's the problem?" Jack asked.

"Power is different here."

"Now would be the time!" Clark shouted.

Jack let out a big scream and the light on top of the door lit up. He started laughing and the light glowed even brighter. The door swung open.

Clark was knocked back, and Pepita headed for Derek. Standing between it and the portal with Jack. "It's coming!"

"Syndrome!" Jack pushed him out of the way. Pepita flew into the door, but she grabbed Jack's ankle and pulled him in too.

"NO!" Clark and Laura Reed both shouted.

"I'm not losing him again!" Laura Reed cried.

"Neither am I." Clark rose to his feet.

Laura Reed stretched her arms to try and grab Jack, but ended up getting caught, and flew through the door with her arms overstretched. Clark attempted to follow, but the door closed. He crashed into the door, crushing it.

Clark got up from the floor and stared at the door pieces. Derek stood shocked as he confronted him. "No. Where are they?!"

"I have no idea."

"Are they dead?"

"The curse- it destroyed all the lands."

"ARE THEY DEAD!?"

"I-I don't know."

"I should've killed you myself." Clark stepped closer, furious.

"Well, then what's stopping you?" Derek shoved him back, using zero-point energy to hold him in place just off the ground. "You think you're some heroic super? Please. You're just as weak as you've always been. I should've killed you when I could, and now... Now I can."

"Dad?!" Hilary soon entered the room with Michelle.

"Hilary, what are you doing here?"

"What are you doing?"

Derek walked over to her. "It's okay. You're safe now."

The zero-point energy released Clark and he fell to the floor. Michelle rushed over to help him.

"Where's my dad? Where's-"

"They're gone. They went through a door. They're... Hilary, I'm sorry."

"No, you're not. You really are Syndrome. I don't want to see you again."

"No, don't say that. I love you."

"Then prove it. Get Jack and Laura Reed back, and until then, leave me and everyone alone."

"Where will you go?"

Clark stepped in. "With me." He walked out with Hilary, followed closely by Michelle, leaving Derek alone.

* * *

In the back of the shoe shop, Ms. Cordwain was absently working on an unfinished shoe when Hector entered.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"I, uh, went for a long walk."

"I thought you were mad at me."

"I... was worried."

"Well, Pepita's gone back. Syndrome's... still alive."

"So, uh, you didn't get what you wanted?"

"Well, that remains to be seen."

Hector noticed the photo of them leaning against the wall and picked it up. "You still have it. Our photo."

Ms. Cordwain stood up and touched the photo. "Shoes are my passion, but this... This is the only thing I truly cherish."

Hector looked sadly at the photo and stroked the image of baby Coco with his thumb. "I miss her so much."

"I do too."

He then perked up with an idea. "Wait, wait, wait. We're in the living world and the curse is broken. That means I can see her again! Just like I always hoped I would. I wonder if she misses me."

"She did. No matter how much I tried to make her forget you, she never did."

Hector smiled. "Even if I never got to see Coco in our world... I hope at least I'll see her here. Give her the biggest hug..."

"I think she'd love that." She smiled.

He then noticed something about the photo. "Why is my head missing?"

She looked down, guilty. "I tore it off when I was really mad. I was trying to forget you."

"_Ay_, that explains why I could never cross the bridge."

"You still want to stay?"

"Of course I do."

* * *

Soon, Hilary and Clark got to the apartment. Violet turned to them from her seat on the couch. "Hey. Where are Mom and Jack-Jack?"

"In some other world. They went through one of the monsters' doors."

"What?"

Hilary crossed the room and looked at a photo of Jack and Laura Reed sitting on the counter.

Clark came over to her. "Hilary."

"Yeah?"

"Don't worry. Laura Reed and Jack-Jack- They're alive."

"How do you know?"

"I have faith. Kids, come here." He knelt in front of them as they gathered around. "I will find them. I'm a superhero. It's what I do."

* * *

Two shadows stared at an unconscious Jack and Laura Reed lying in a pile of rubble.

* * *

AN: I wanted to include how the more secondary characters would react to the curse breaking, and reuniting with their friends and family.

\- Also, the toys still belong to Andy. They haven't been given to Bonnie yet.

\- Thanks to my co-writer Varzate732 for helping write the Rivera family reunion scene


	2. We Are Both

The toys were gathered together by the Pixfare sign at the edge of the woods.

Larry spray-painted a line over the border as he lectured to the group. "This, troops, is our mission, the great barrier of our existence. Does it remain? We have to investigate the line." He pulled out a small bag with straws inside. "I made straws. Short one crosses. Draw."

One by one, they each picked a straw.

"With the curse broken, we can cross, right?" Jessica looked hopeful. "Should be no problem. Yeah?"

"With magic back, it could be even worse now." Rex fidgeted, worried.

"Like, vaporize us." Added Bart. "Let's go home."

"Guys!" Jim spoke up. "We've been through worse than this. You know our job is to be there for Andy. Show your hands."

They revealed their straws. Rex held up the shortest one.

"You're up, Rex."

Jim led Rex to the line, but he hesitated to step over it.

"You know, what if we found a turtle and sort of nudged it over first?" Rex suggested nervously.

"Oh, for the love of..." Bart pushed Rex over the line. A whoosh of magic surged through his body.

"Rex, you okay? Rex!"

* * *

On the main street, the townspeople were trying to regain order after the breaking of the curse and clear away the damage caused by the attack. Damaged cars were being towed. Michelle temporarily closed the Diner.

A Crisis Center had been set up outside the town hall. Some people were gathered in front of a board of missing people. Héctor put up a flyer with a picture of young Coco.

"If you're looking for a family member, come to the front table." Michelle announced, carrying blankets. "If you need counseling, Dr. Cutter has a sign-up sheet." A siren wailed in the distance. "If the creature damaged your house, there are cots at the school."

Sister Julia sighed, approaching Michelle and taking the blankets. "This is getting out of hand. People are in a panic. They don't know what to do."

"It's okay. It'll be fine. We just need everyone to remain calm. I have a feeling our supers are working on something right now."

* * *

Clark pounded on the door of Derek's house. When he answered, he let himself in.

"Tell me... about this." He held up pieces of the door.

"Surprised you don't have other supers 'round the clock."

"Don't need 'em. We both know if you step outside, there's a line a mile long for your head."

"Who's going to risk coming at me?"

"Take your chances then. But I think that little energy trick was an anomaly. If you had your weapons back, this town would be charcoal by now. You're having problems with them, aren't you? Right now the only thing keeping you alive is that Hilary wants it. Now this."

"It's the door that pulled your loved ones away." Derek walked past Clark into the dining room.

"Well, where did you get it?"

"I forgot. You know what? Maybe you should be less concerned with doors and more concerned with taking care of my daughter."

"Oh, because you took such great care of her." Clark replied sarcastically.

"I won't listen to child care lectures from a man who put his son in a door and sent him to Maine."

"Okay. Listen. I need my family. We have our powers now. There have to be ways to follow them."

"Follow them where? Into a sucking airless void? And good luck getting it to work, because as you said, you'd be charcoal."

"Frustrated, aren't you? Serves you right. You earned every bit of this."

"Keep on baiting me, Mr. Incredible. Right now I don't have my weapons and I don't have my daughter, but when I get one, I get the other, and you don't want to be around when that happens."

"If you have to use weapons to keep your daughter, you don't really have her." Clark turned and walked away.

* * *

Clark soon arrived at the Crisis Center, where he spotted Hilary. "Hilary. Have you seen Atta? Sister Julia."

"No, but everyone's looking for you."

Several people begin harassing Clark with questions.

"Do we know where the Witch- Ms. Wood is?" Michelle asked.

"Wait. Does Syndrome still have power?" Felix wondered.

"I thought I would find my girl. Are the lists complete?" Héctor questioned.

"She's got to be planning something!" Michelle added.

Dr. Whale interjected. "Hey, let me ask you something? Are the nuns still nuns? Or can they, you know, date?"

"Uh, I don't know. Atta!" Clark spotted Sister Julia. "Could there be a door on this side? The way we sent Jack-Jack through as a baby- maybe I could go after 'em that way."

"It's possible, but without screams to power the doors, uh, no, it's hopeless."

"You'll find another way." Hilary assured. "In the book, things always look worse right before there's good news."

"Bad news! Bad news!" Woody shouted as the toys came running. "We were out at the town line. Tell 'em who you think you are, Rex!"

"Will you stop calling me that? You know who I am. I'm Mark. I run the museum. What's going on here?"

"If you cross the border, you lose your memory all over again."

"And coming back doesn't fix it?" Felix wondered.

"If it did, would we have come running in yelling 'bad news'?!" Potato Head replied sarcastically. "If we leave, our cursed selves become our only selves."

The crowd began to panic. Clark decided to speak up. "People! Everybody! Everybody, meet back here in two hours. I'll tell you my plan to fix everything." He started walking away.

"What's the plan?" Michelle asked as she caught up to him.

"I don't know, but I got two hours to figure it out."

* * *

In his lab, Derek was trying to get a piece of his tech to work. "Come on." It lit up for a moment and then short-circuited. "Work!" He angrily threw it against the wall in frustration. He headed to the front door, where he tentatively surveyed the area outside his house. Seeing that the coast was clear, he started to walk to his car, when he was approached by Felix.

"Syndrome. I thought you might want to talk."

"I don't need advice from an ant."

"It's what I do."

"I'm not in the mood."

"It's too bad, 'cause... 'Cause I think talking about your pain might be very helpful. Might help you learn who you truly are."

"I know who I am."

* * *

Derek entered Ms. Wood's shop. Seeing that she wasn't there, he began to rummage through her books.

"The library's beneath the clock tower. You closed it, remember? When you still had power." Ms. Wood appeared.

"I need the book. I need to get my daughter back." Derek demanded.

"Which book? Oh." She laughed. "So it's come down to that, eh? You need your mommy's help."

"Give me the book."

"Do you really need the smell of the written word to get the power flowing again, love? Maybe if you relaxed, it would just happen."

"I don't have time. It worked once. I know I can do it. I just... I just need a shortcut back."

"Yeah, well, I don't have time either. Leave. Please."  
Derek seemed unaffected. "Well... Look at that. Your 'pleases' have lost their punch."

"Well, the fact remains jump-starting your weapons isn't in my best interests."

"You know what else isn't in your best interest? Having everyone know our world still exists. Knowing that you and I are keeping that little secret. You're up to something... And it doesn't involve going back home."

Derek went to look in a chest on the counter, but Ms. Wood stopped him. She magically conjured a book.

"Careful, dearie. These are some straight-up tech. Rough on the system."

"I don't care if they turn me green. I'm getting my daughter back." He grabbed the book from her and began to leave.

"Oh, my." She chuckled.

"What?"

"It's just holding that- I told you once you didn't look like her, but now... Now I can see it."  
Derek softly gasped and walked out the door.

* * *

"People of Pixfare, I know we're trapped again and things look... bleak... But... they're not." Clark tried rehearsing in front of a mirror. Hilary, Dash, and Violet were watching.

"No. Keep going." Hilary encouraged him. "You were on to something."

"No, I wasn't. I did the fighting. Helen did the talking." He placed the door pieces on the table.

"I think I know what this is." Hilary flipped through the pages in her book until she found the Monsters Inc story. "It's one of the monsters' doors. They're portals between worlds."

"Monsters Incorporated..."

"You guys have heard of it?"

"No. I mean, yeah. I mean, we don't know it, but our cursed selves had memories of watching Monsters Inc. I need to get it to work again. Who are they? I mean, who are they here?"

"I don't know. Maybe they'll check in at the Crisis Center. You could check after the thing."

"What thing?"

"The meeting where you tell us all your plan?" Hilary reminded him. "Remember the speech you were doing?"

"Right. I'll be back for that. You kids, stay here." Clark grabbed his coat and headed out the door and down the stairs.

The kids tried to come with him. "Dad, you gotta use us. Come on!" Dash and Violet urged.

"The curse was broken 'cause of me!" added Hilary. "Let me help!" They heard the door close. "Or not."

* * *

Ms. Wood was putting travel guides into a bag when the doorbell jingled. "It appears when I bought that 'closed' sign, I was just throwing my money away."

"Looks like it." Clark answered.

"Sorry to hear about your wife and son. If you're looking for a retrieval, I'm afraid door-jumping is just outside my purview.

"Of course it is."

"So what's the commotion outside?" She wondered.

"A little stir at the border. A problem crossing the line."

"Do tell."

"Actually, I'm here to buy something- a way to find someone."

"What, like a map?"

"Something with a bit more kick."

"Oh, yeah. Magic. Whom are you following?

"Not telling.

"So do you have something of theirs, this missing person?"

"Yes."

"May I see it?"

"No."

She chuckled and pulled a vial out of the box behind her. "Pour this on the object and then follow it. So simple, even Clark Grimm could do it." She held it in front of him but pulled away when Clark tried to take it.

"What do you want?"

"Peace. Leave me alone."

"What do you care what Clark Grimm does?"

"No. No. It's... it's Mr. Incredible I worry about. I'd like a little... non-interference guarantee."

"Fine. If you give me the same. You and I... we stay out of each other's way."

She handed the potion over. "Thank you for your business." Clark started to leave, but she interrupted him. "So, uh, what happens when you try and cross the border?"

"You lose your memory of everything in our old lives. Looks like we're stuck here."

* * *

Derek sat in his lab with the book. He opened it to a page with instructions on it. After reading through them, he began to make adjustments to his tech.

* * *

On the main street, Clark poured the potion on top of the door pieces. Nothing happened for a second, then the pieces lifted and flew through the air. Clark followed them to a flipped car, where there was a muffled voice calling out from the inside.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Clark moved the rubble away from the car and pried open the door to find Randy.

"Oh, thank you. No one heard me."

"You okay?" nodded. "Good. That means we can talk." Clark dragged him out of the car.

* * *

The entire town was gathered at the town hall for the meeting.

"Come on, Dad. Pick up. Come on. Come on." Violet tried to call Clark on the phone.

"Please, everyone, just be patient. I'm sure he's gonna be here any second." Ellen tried to calm down the crowd. She noticed Michelle holding her bow and arrow. "Merida, what have I told you about weapons?"

"We got a lawless town, Mum. I need it."

"Try calling him again." Hilary urged Violet.

"He's not picking up."

"Just keep trying."

The doors suddenly opened. Everyone gasped to see Derek standing with a smug expression.

"Well... What a nice turnout." He entered and casually walked to the front of the room. "No need to worry. It's just me."

"Syndrome, think about what you're doing." Felix spoke up.

"Bug." Derek using his zero-point energy to lift him off the ground and then drop him.

"Hey!" Buzz charged at Derek, but he did the same thing to him.

Michelle fired an arrow at Derek, but he flew out of its way with his rocket boots.

"Is that the best you got?" The crowd ducked as he flew around the room.

"What do you want?!" Michelle demanded to know.

"Me." Hilary answered. "He wants me." She walked over to Derek. "Okay, I'll come with you. Just... leave them alone."

"That's my girl." Derek smiled and put her arm around Hilary's shoulder, leading her out.

* * *

Clark and Randy were sitting at a table outside, with the broken door in between them.

"Can you get me through?"

"No."

"Can you get them back?" Randy rolled his eyes. "Can you get it to work?"

"If you only knew."

"Okay, you had a little kid's drawing in your car and a stuffed bear toy, so I'm thinking you have a child you love. Well, I do, too, and a wife and they're out there somewhere, in our world or a void. I don't even know, but I'm going to get them back."

"They're in our world. That's for sure. I just can't get there."

"It still exists?"

"It exists. I don't know if that matters since we can't go there."

"So you won't help me?"

"I'm a portal jumper, and you destroyed my portal, so you're out of luck."

Clark grabbed Randy by his shirt collar. "Well, I'm the closest thing left to a sheriff here, so I could just throw you in a cell until you figure out a way."

"Then all we'll do is both sit, stuck... Two lives in our heads, cursed worse than ever. Two lives forever at odds. Double the pain. Double the suffering."

Randy suddenly bolted from the table and began running down the street. While chasing after him, Clark was stopped by Michelle.

"Clark, stop!"

"Get out of my way!"

"Syndrome has Hilary!"

"But he has the way!"

"He has Hilary. He's threatening everyone."

Clark finally calmed down a little. "He has Hilary?"

"He showed up at your town meeting- the one you missed. His weapons are back. Everyone's panicking. They want to leave town. They're going to lose everything."

"Okay. Okay, but I have to go after him first. He's my only hope of finding a way to get Jack-Jack and Helen back."

"Okay, back to what? This town is about to come apart. You've got to do something."

* * *

Derek and Hilary soon arrived home.

"Now I don't want you to think that things are just going to go back to how they used to be." Hilary ran upstairs. "Hilary." She ran to her room, pulled out a preprepared rope made of blankets, and threw it out the window. She didn't get very far until Derek stopped her with zero-point energy. "Don't fight it, honey."

They were then back in Hilary's bedroom.

"How long am I in prison? Until I grow up?"

"Hilary, I saved you because I love you."

"So I'm a prisoner because you love me. That's not fair."

"You know where I come from. That was really not fair. Of all the places I've seen, this is super."

"You ruined lives. You sent away Laura Reed and Jack."

"That was an accident."

"The way you treated me wasn't an accident. You made it so no one believed me. You made me feel like I was crazy."

"But that's all gonna change now. Hilary, you can know all the secrets. You can live in a house with technology. Look what I could do." He demonstrated his rocket boots. "And I can teach you. You can do this and so much more. You can have all the friends you want come over anytime, and you can show them everything in your book."

"No one's gonna want to come over here. They're scared of you."

"You can make them not be scared. You can make them love you."

"I don't want that. I don't want to be you." She got up and left.

* * *

The townspeople had all packed up their cars and were heading along the road leading to the border of the town. Clark and Michelle were in the car ahead of them. They stopped, angling the car sideways to block the way. Everyone angrily stepped out of their cars, while Clark and Michelle got out to confront them.

"Get out of the way! We have a right to go!"

"Listen to me!" Clark stood on the back of his truck, wearing his supersuit. "Listen. If you cross that line, you're gonna be lost. Everyone who loves you will lose you. But there's something worse. You'll lose yourself. Look, I get wanting to leave here. I do. And I get that it's easier to let go of bad memories, but... even bad memories are part of us. Clark, Pixfare Clark was- is... weak... confused... and he hurt the woman I love. I wouldn't give up being Mr. Incredible just to be him. But you know what? I wouldn't make the other trade either, because that Clark reminds me not only of whom I lost... But of who I want to be, my weaknesses, and my strengths. Clark and Mr. Incredible. I am both... Just like you. You are both. The town is both. We are both. Stay here, and every choice is open to you. Live in the woods if you want. Or eat frozen burritos and write software. Let's open Ellen's and the school and get back to work. I'll protect you. He won't be able to hurt any of us, not as long as I'm alive. Not as long as we all come together... As we did before... As we shall do again."

Everyone was silent for a moment. Finally, they smiled, nodding, and headed back to their cars.

* * *

Derek was startled when Clark barged into his house.

"I want to see her."

"Hilary, come down." Derek called. "You won't be using your powers."

"Whatever you build, I can fight."

"I mean, you won't need your powers." They turned to see Hilary coming downstairs. "Hilary, you're gonna go home with Clark."

"Really?"

"Really. I shouldn't have brought you here. I was... I don't know how to love very well. I wasn't capable of it for a very long time. But I know- I remember... That if you hold on to someone too hard, that doesn't make them love you. I'm sorry I lied to you, that I made you feel like I didn't know who you are. But I want you to be here because you want to be here, not because I forced you... and not because of powers. I want to redeem myself. Go get your things."

Hilary ran back upstairs, leaving Derek and Clark alone.

"Then prove it."

"How?"

"Answer one question. Does it exist?"

"What?"

"Our world- does it still exist?"

"Yes. But I have no idea how to get back there. I can see I just launched you on a heroic quest. Just also make sure you take care of my daughter."

"That I can do."

Hilary returned with her things. The two of them left the house.

* * *

On the main street of Pixfare, all of the businesses were reopening. The toys filed out of a building with new batteries. They ran into Mark.

"What do you need those for?" He asked.

"Don't worry, friend." Woody reassured. "You've lost something. It's gonna take batteries to get it back. So we're gonna do what we do best. Come on, guys. There's a kid who's been waiting to play with us."

* * *

At the Diner, Ed sat at a table having coffee. Hilary and Clark entered. Hilary whispered something to Ed.  
He soon arrived at Kelly's room at the inn but saw that it was empty. He found his old cane and tennis balls on the desk.

* * *

At the town border in the forest, Ms. Wood stood in front of the spray-painted line.

* * *

Derek was about to put the book in the fireplace, but he hesitated. Instead, he kept it and locked it in a cabinet.

* * *

Clark and the kids were eating at the counter in the Diner.

"Hey. It exists, guys. Our world is still out there."

"And... so are they." Hilary asked, hopefully.

"Yeah."

"But how do we know they survived the trip there?" Violet asked.

"Because I can feel it."

* * *

Jack and Laura Reed were handcuffed and rode on the back of Finn McMissile, as he and Holley Shiftwell drove across a deserted city.

"What is this place?" Laura Reed asked, looking around.

"Our home."

They arrived at an island, which was populated by the remaining Pixarverse inhabitants. They had set up an encampment.

"It's like they're refugees." Jack observed.

"We're survivors." Finn corrected.

Laura Reed punched Holley's windshield and began to make a run for it. "Jack-Jack, run!"

They both began to run away, but Laura Reed was struck down by Finn's grappling hook and knocked unconscious.

Jack turned back and tried to wake her. "Laura Reed! Laura Reed!" He turned to face Finn. "What did you do?!"

"Lock them up."

Jack and Laura Reed were later thrown in a prison cell by the guards.

"Be careful! Oh! Be careful!" Jack tried to wake her again. "Hey. Come on. Wake up. Hey. Can you hear me?"

"Do you need help?" A woman's voice asked, hidden in the shadows.

"Who are you?"

"A friend." She stepped forward into the light coming from the window. "My name's Evelyn Deavor."


	3. Supers Have Returned

Evelyn tended to a still unconscious Laura Reed.

"You sure she's gonna be okay?" Jack asked, concerned.

"Don't worry. She'll be fine."

"What is this place? Where are we?" He looked around the cell they were being held in.

"It's a little island our captors like to think of as their haven."

"Haven? From what?"

"The world's dangerous. What's left of it, anyway."

"Well, they can't keep us in here. We didn't do anything wrong."

"Neither did I."

"Then why are you here?"

"I'm here because of something... my son did. The curse that ravaged this world- he cast it."

"Syndrome. You're Syndrome's mother?" Jack looked at her in disbelief.

"Yes. But you don't need to be afraid of me. You're from over there, aren't you? How'd you get back?"

"Jack-Jack. No." Laura Reed stood up, holding a hand to her head.

"Elastigirl. I'm so glad you're awake."

Laura Reed took Jack aside. "As bad as you think Syndrome is, this woman is worse."

"Oh, Elastigirl." Laura Reed stood protectively in front of Jack, facing Evelyn. "Please. Believe me, whatever he told you isn't true. I just want to help you."

"Let's hear her out." Jack whispered.

"Jack-Jack."

"Okay, right now, we're in a cell with no other options, and Hilary is back in Pixfare with Syndrome."

"Who's Hilary?" Evelyn asked.

"My daughter. I kind of share her with Syndrome. It's complicated."

"Don't talk to her." Laura Reed warned Jack.

"Enough!" A voice shouted from outside. A guard came and unlocked the door. "Our leader requests an audience."

* * *

Clark walked with Hilary, Dash, and Violet down the street.

"So what's on the agenda for Operation Scorpion?" Hilary wondered.

"What's Operation Scorpion?" Clark asked.

"The code name for our mission to find Helen and Jack. Do you prefer Viper? That was my second choice."

"Hilary, we need to talk."

"Yeah, Scorpion's better."

"No, it's not that. It's..."

Hilary saw that they were near the school bus. "We're not coming with you?"

"But we wanna help." added Dash.

"What happened to fighting crime as a family?" Violet asked.

"Look, I know you kids want to help, but could get dangerous. I'm sorry, but I just can't let you anywhere near this stuff. If you really want to help me, you'll go to school where I know you'll be safe. Okay?"

"Okay." They agreed, disappointed.

The kids headed towards the school bus, and Clark turned and left. They looked back and held Dash's hands as he sped away.

* * *

Jack and Laura Reed were being led by one of the guards through the haven.

"Why can't you just listen to me?"

"Why couldn't you have trusted me?" Jack argued. "I was just trying to find a way to get us home. I could've handled her."

"Evelyn? Don't be so sure. I've lived here, Jack-Jack. I know this world and its dangers."

"Wait here." The guard stopped them and walked away.

"Is that why you came through the door? Because you thought I was helpless here? In case you forgot, I have powers too."

"No. I came through to be with you." She saw a man come from one of the buildings. "Winston?"

"Elastigirl."

The two of them hugged, laughing.

"If I had known that you were the prisoners Finn had brought back, I never would've locked you away. I'm so sorry."

"It's ok."

"Winston? Really?" Jack raised an eyebrow.

"He's an old friend." Laura Reed explained. "We can trust him. This is Jack-Jack."

From across the camp, Finn and Holley watched the reunion.

"Why is he hugging them?" Holley asked. "She's the reason for the curse that took Mater away."

"You're still new to the field, Shiftwell. He trusts the superheroes. So should we."

"I want justice."

"Tread carefully. It's dangerous to confuse vengeance with justice. Do you understand me?"

"Yes."

Finn drove away. Holley drew out a concealed gun from one of her wheels, and looked back at the supers.

* * *

Jack and Laura Reed were soon seated at a comprehensive meal.

"I don't understand. We were told this world didn't even exist anymore. How did you all escape the curse?" Laura Reed asked, curious.

"It's a mystery. The curse struck, and when the smoke cleared, most of us had been torn from this world." Winston explained. "But some of us here, in this particular region, were left behind. We don't know how and we don't know why. Finding this safe haven wasn't easy. It took some fighting. But don't worry, you're safe here."

"We can't stay. My husband and other kids are back there, Jack-Jack's daughter, my granddaughter- We have to get back to them. Can you help us find some kind of portal?"

"It's not safe to leave. This world isn't like you remember it. The Omnidroids have returned.

"Omnidroids?" Jack asked, confused.

"That's why we live here, on this island, where it's safe. Please, Elastigirl. Stay here. There are no more portals left."

"I might know of one."

"You do?"

"Where?"

Laura Reed glanced around. "Evelyn's near. I don't feel comfortable discussing my plans. She's clever."

"Not anymore. Since the curse, her technology doesn't work. But given her reputation, we've kept her locked up as a precaution."

"Still, I'm not taking chances. Just trust me. I may have a way. Let us go."

"All right, but on one condition." He signaled Finn to come over. "Take Finn with you. He can help you."

"We can take care of ourselves." Jack insisted.

"Deal." Laura Reed interrupted. "Thanks, Winston, for always looking out for me."

Finn presented to Jack and Laura Reed an arsenal of different weapons. "Choose wisely. We must be vigilant if we hope to survive the mission."

They both took their pick. Jack scoffed. "With my powers, I don't need any of this stuff."

"Follow my lead, stay close, do exactly as I say, and we might survive."

"Thanks for the pep talk, but I think we're okay." Jack assured. "I just killed a bear last week."

"Let's go. It'll be dark soon." Finn began driving off.

Jack and Laura Reed followed behind.

"Don't let him scare you. I won't let anything happen to us. Stick to the plan."

"What is the plan? You haven't told me anything. What's going on?"

"The closet."

"Closet?" Jack suddenly reaslized. "_The_ closet? Like, _the_ closet door that sent baby me to Maine?"

"Mm-hmm."

"You think it could get us back to Pixfare?"

"I don't know. First we have to see if it survived the curse, then we'll worry about making it work."

"Where is it?

"Our place. You wanna see where you're from, Jack-Jack?" He gave her a look. "That's right. We're going home."

* * *

John sat on a bench by the docks, sadly staring at Boo's drawing of her and Sulley.

"John." Hilary approached him. "Right? Sulley. I need your help."

"Look, Randall already told your grandfather- We can't do anything."

"I know, but there must be something we can do."

"I'm the wrong person to talk to, kid. Power's not my thing. Try your father. Maybe he's got something in that lab of his he can help you with."

"Lab? His lab is here? In Pixfare?"

"It's none of my business. Talk to _him_."

Hilary noticed the paper. "What's that?"

John folded up the paper and tucked it in his pocket.

"Boo's looking for you, isn't she?"

"What do you know about it?"

"I read your story. I know how the two of you were separated. Why are you here? She's at school."

"I've got to go home, kid." John stood up and started to walk away.

Hilary followed in front of him. "She probably wants to see you. Why aren't you trying to find her?"

He grabbed Hilary by the shoulders. "Because I sent her away! And she'll hate me."

"How do you know that?"

"I was on my way, but fate reminded me I shouldn't."

"You should. I've been left, too. Anything's better than nothing. She'll spend her whole life wondering why you left her. Not knowing is the worst."

John thought for a moment. considering her advice.

* * *

Derek was packing up his office into boxes when his cell phone rang. He picked it up and answered it. "Hilary. I'm just packing up the office. I've been asked to leave. No, of course it can wait. I'd love to have lunch with you. Ellen's, ten minutes." He hung up, smiling, and left.

Once the coast was clear, Violet became visible, standing by one of the side doors. She looked in one of the drawers of a filing cabinet and found the ring of Derek's skeleton keys. She took it and left the room.

* * *

Finn soon arrived at a park with Jack and Laura Reed sitting on his trunk.

"This will do. We'll stop here for the night. We just need to find water, collect some firewood."

"How bad can these Omnidroids be?" Jack wondered.

"They're powerful and intelligent robots." Laura Reed explained.

"Right."

"Look... I know you're out of your element…"

"I'm fine."

"I know, but maybe you should just stay here while we get wood and water, guard the campsite."

"You mean the big, empty park?"

"It's the safest place. We'll be right back."

Laura Reed and Finn spread out across the park.

Soon after it had gotten dark, Laura Reed had a pile of wood she collected for a fire.

Suddenly, Holley ambushed her with a gun aimed at her. "Don't move. Mater's gone because of you."

Laura Reed grabbed handfuls of mud and flung them at Holley's windshield. She then wrapped her arms around her hood. "You listen to me, car! You think _I_ don't know what it's like to be separated from the people that I love? So I suggest you find another way to channel your anger."

Finn pulled Laura Reed away with his grappling hook. "Don't talk to her like that."

"She tried to kill me."

"I will deal with her."

A warning shot had been fired. They turned to see Jack pointing the gun in their direction.

"Jack-Jack, what are you doing?" Laura Reed looked concerned.

"Protecting you. Drop the weapon!"

"Do you realize what you've just done?" They heard thumping footsteps approaching them. "Run!"

The group took off into the city while the robot trailed them.

"Split up!"

Holley and Finn went one way, while Jack and Laura Reed went another.

Jack tripped over a branch, but Laura Reed didn't notice. The robot caught up to Jack. He tried to shoot at it with his laser vision, but no effect. Jack then turned into a monster-like creature and attacked the robot, breaking off one of its arms. After wrestling with it, the Omnidroid picked him off of it and threw him to the ground. The monster turned back into human form. "Seriously?"

Laura Reed whistled from behind the robot, diverting its attention away from Jack. "Back away from my son!"

The robot turned its attention to Laura Reed. Stretching her arms, she aimed and fired the detached robot arm into its core, instantly destroying it.

"Only it's hard enough to destroy itself."

"When was the last time you did that?"

"About 28 years ago. Actually, it was your father who did it. Guess I learned it from him."

"Yeah, but how did you know you could hit that?"

"I didn't. Next time, listen to me."

"Ok."

"We should get going." They walked away from the fallen robot.

* * *

The group continued to drive through the city.

"We're getting close." Laura Reed pointed out, riding on Finn.

Jack noticed Holley looked a little sad. "Hey, I'll ride with you."

"But I tried to kill your friend."

"Actually, she's my mom." He climbed onto her trunk. "I have a feeling she can take care of herself. And I get it. You're not the only one who's been screwing up lately."

"Up ahead." Finn announced.

"Is that it?" Jack asked.

Laura Reed nodded. "Yeah. That's our home."

Down the road, they could see the Parr's house.

* * *

Using her book as a guide, Hilary was able to break into Derek's lab.

Clark soon caught her messing around with the tech. "What are you doing? These are not toys."

"How'd you know I was down here?"

"Your dad said you asked him to lunch, and when you stood him up, he checked his office, saw his keys missing, figured out the rest. He would've come himself, but he didn't think you'd go with him." He crouched down to her eye level. "Hilary, what were you thinking?"

"I just want them back. It wasn't supposed to be this way. I should be over there with them, fighting crime, learning how to use my powers."

"I know. I know. It's okay, because we're going to do this together." He stood up. "Come on. You got to get to school... and I got to make sure no one else finds this place."

* * *

The group soon arrived at the house. Finn and Holley waited outside while Jack and Laura Reed entered one of the rooms. It appeared to be a nursery, with a crib and several old toys laying around.

Jack recognized the closet by the corner. "Oh, my God. I recognize this from Hilary's book." He touched the door.

"I never thought I'd see this place again." Laura Reed picked up a stuffed animal. "This room. It was your nursery."

"I lived here?"

"Barely. This is the life we wanted you to have." Laura Reed looked around and started to get emotional. "We were going to teach you how to walk in here, how to talk, how to use your powers. You never got to do any of it. We barely got to be a family."

"We have a family-– in Pixfare. And right now they need us to get back there. So... how do we get this to work?" Jack gestured to the closet. They inspected the door. "Where's the 'on' switch?"

"It's more complicated than that. We'll have to get it back to the island. Hopefully, one of the monsters there has access to enough power to make it work again."

"How are we gonna take this thing off?"

"With the help of an old friend." A voice replied. They turned around to see Winston behind them.

"Winston. What are you doing here?"

"We heard about the robot attack, and I had to make sure you were ok."

"Oh. Where are Finn and Holley?"

"I sent them to get food. Tonight we'll make camp, and in the morning, we'll head back. So... this is it – the portal you were after."

"The same one Jack-Jack went through. It's how he escaped the curse."

"Amazing."

"The monsters made this door, but... there's no power left."

"A portal this powerful... there must be another way to recharge it."

"Why are you so interested in the door?" Laura Reed asked, curious.

"Well, I just want you to get home to your family and daughter. Hilary. They must miss you."

Laura Reed dropped the phony smile and stood in front of Jack. "Stay away from him, Jack-Jack. He's not who he says he is."

"What are you talking about? Who is he?"

"There's only one person you told Hilary's name."

"Evelyn." Jack suddenly realized.

Winston pressed a button and transformed into Evelyn. "You are good."

"Where's Winston?"

"I got rid of him a long time ago."

"And you've been posing as him ever since."

"Well, he _is_ better with people. And besides, every city needs a hero, don't you think?"

Laura Reed lunged towards Evelyn, but was hit with a taser. Jack tried to help, but was also tased.

"Thank you, Elastigirl. I've been looking for a way over for so long." Jack got up and, again, tried to help, but Evelyn pulled a rug from under his feet. "I never thought the person to help me find it... would be you."

"Why? Why are you doing this?"

"I want to see my son. It's been too long. And you know, I would love to meet my granddaughter, Hilary."

"No, you won't!" Jack set himself aflame and torched the door.

"No!" Evelyn shouted. She lunged towards Jack, but crashed into Finn, who jumped in front of him. Holley also entered the room.

"Finn!" Laura Reed shouted.

"We're not done." Evelyn teleported out of the room.

In the corner, Jack and Laura Reed watched as the door was consumed by flames.

"Are you okay?"

"You saved me."

"Yeah, well... Where is she?"

"Gone."

"So's our ride home."

"How could I be so blind? How could I not see that it was Evelyn?" Finn complained.

"Well, to be fair, the whole disguise thing threw me, too." Jack assured him.

"What are we going to tell the people on the island?"

"The truth." Laura Reed chimed in.

"Evelyn's still out there. We need to find her. We need to defend what's left of the city."

"Who's going to lead us? You?" Holley asked.

"No. Her." Finn looked pointedly at Laura Reed.

"I'm honored." She smiled, flattered. "But Jack-Jack and I still have to find a way back to Pixfare."

"We'll help you. We'll find a way, won't we?"

"Yes." Holley agreed. "Perhaps it'll help me channel my anger."

"Come." The two cars exited.

"I'm, uh... sorry I torched our ride home." Jack said, feeling guilty. "I couldn't let her get to Hilary. I just-"

"You had to put Hilary first." Laura Reed nodded.

"I was mad for so long… Wondering how you could choose to let me grow up without you. But then I just seeing all this… You gave up everything for me and you're still doing that. Sorry. I'm not good at this. I… I guess I just…" Jack started to tear up. "I'm not- I'm not used to someone putting me first."

Laura Reed also started getting emotional. She hugged Jack. "Well, get used to it."

After a tearful hug, the two began to leave. Laura Reed looked back at the room, reflecting on what 'could have been' and started to cry.

Once they were gone, Evelyn reappeared. She approached the burnt door and took a vial of the ashes.

* * *

John watched nearby as Mary and her classmates got off the bus. He hesitated for a moment, but decided to call out for her. "Boo."

Mary turned around and saw him. She ran towards him and they hugged. "Kitty! I thought I'd never see you again."

Hilary, Dash, and Violet watched the reunion from Jack's car. Clark knocked on the window with a bag in his hand. They rolled down the window.

"I've been thinking, if you're going to start helping me, we've got to make sure we do this right. So, I picked these up on my way home."

Clark opened the bag and revealed four black eye-masks.

"No way!" Dash cried, excitedly.

"Seriously?" Hilary smiled.

"Yeah, you're supers too. I think it's about time you started using your powers. Kids, I can't get 'em back without you. So? What do you say? You with me?"

"Yeah!" Dash cheered. Hilary and Violet smiled.

The kids got out of the car and put on the masks. They started to play fight on the sidewalk. Meanwhile, from a distance, Richard Walker watched them from his car.


	4. La Llorona

/Thanks to my co-writer Varzate732 for helping with the planning and writing.

* * *

In the shoe shop, Ms. Cordwain took out a box and presented it to Héctor. He opened it to reveal a pair of brown dress shoes.

"They're, um... they're beautiful. So, what's the occasion?"

"No husband of mine is going to go without shoes." She put her hands on her hips.

"I'm your husband again?" He smiled, touched.

"Of course, you are, _idiota_." She lightly smacked his arm. He took the shoes out of the box and began to put them on. "We haven't really gotten out much since Pixfare awakened, so I thought we should see it together."

"_Gracias_." He wrapped his arms around her.

"Don't get your hopes up. The nightlife is extremely limited."

"No. I meant... for what you're doing. For accepting me back."

The moment was soon interrupted by the bell ringing as the door opened. The Hernandez family entered the shop.

"Excuse me? We're looking for-" Maria was surprised when she noticed Ms. Cordwain. "_Abuela_!"

"Oh, _mi familia_!" Ms. Cordwain cried. She then tearfully hugged each of the family members.

"_Hola_, everyone." Héctor greeted them with a nervous smile.

Everyone turned their attention to him.

"You! You're that runaway _musico_!" Maria said angrily.

"The one who abandoned this family." Edward added. "You're not to come near our children."

"Every day, for years-" Oscar began.

"-our sister waited for you to come back." Felipe continued.

"But you didn't." They said at the same time.

"You chose music over your own family." Angela accused. "We will never forgive you for that!"

"Please, if you would just let-" Héctor reached out to them, but each one turned their back to him.

"They're right." Ms. Cordwain agreed.

"But, Imelda…"

"Ah-ah-ah! You don't get to speak! You are dead to this family!"

Héctor looked at his hands, shocked to see that his body was skeletal again.

"You're better off forgotten and left off the _ofrenda_!" Maria lifted the guitar in the air and smashed it to bits. "There. No guitar, no music."

Suddenly, a golden flicker shuddered through Héctor's bones, and he fell to the ground. "Miguel. Miguel, please tell them." He pleaded.

"You did this to yourself." Michael said coldly.

The edges of Héctor's bones began to glow in a golden light until he dissolved into dust.

Héctor jolted awake, shaking and panting. Looking around, he saw that he was safe in Ms. Cordwain's guestroom. He looked at his hands, relieved that they were flesh. Eventually, he calmed down and tried going back to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Ms. Cordwain came downstairs, where Héctor was already waiting for her in the kitchen.

"Hey."

"Hey. I was just going to make breakfast."

"Imelda, this is gonna sound strange, since we're alive, but..." He hesitated for a moment. "You don't wish I had been forgotten, do you?"

She looked at him, surprised. "Where is this coming from?"

"I-I had a nightmare that you and the family were mad at me. You all said that I deserved to be forgotten, and I faded away."

Unsure of what to say, she tried to change the subject. "Want some breakfast?"

"No, we need to talk about this."

"I...I did want to forget you." She admitted. "I raised the family to do the same."

"Okay, then tell me. Do you want me around?" She didn't say anything, holding in her emotions. "You're a strong woman, Imelda. You need to be strong enough... to let me in." He turned and walked away.

* * *

In an old warehouse, Clark helped the monsters set up a makeshift scare floor. He turned around and looked over at Hilary, who smiled. He winked at her.

Michelle soon arrived, carrying a plate of snacks. "Did they get any screams yet?" She handed Hilary a muffin.

"Not enough yet. But they will, and when they do, we'll figure out a way to get Laura Reed and my dad back."

"I'll be back later with lunch." Michelle turned and left.

"Sullivan!" Clark ordered. "If you get anything, I'll be at the sheriff's station."

"You taking over as sheriff?"

"Stepping in... until Jack gets back." Clark began to leave with Hilary.

* * *

Ms. Cordwain came upstairs, went over to her room, and knocked on the door. "Héctor?" There was no answer. "Come on. At least come and eat something." She opened the door and entered the room, only to find that it was empty. "Héctor?" She noticed that the window was open and hurried out of the room.

* * *

Soon, Ms. Cordwain arrived at the slum part of town with a paper in her hand.

"Where is my husband?!" She showed Ben a handmade missing person flyer.

"You mean Héctor."

She sighed, annoyed. "Yes. I mean Héctor. Where is he?!" She shouted.

"How should I know?"

"Because the last time he left home and didn't come back, you murdered him!"

He snatched the flyer from her. "Is this some kind of a joke? Would I have made this flyer if I knew where he was? The only reason he's missing is that you stole him from me, but I'd hoped he might have come to his senses."

"And he has."

"Why hasn't he come looking for me?"

"Why would he after everything you've done to him?" She huffed and crossed her arms. "Look, I don't expect you to help me. I just want to know he's safe."

"And now, thanks to you, neither of us knows where he is."

* * *

At the diner, Michelle placed another glass of iced tea in front of Héctor, who sat alone in a booth.

"Thank you."

"Are you okay? That's your third iced tea this morning. Wouldn't wanna have to call you a cab."

"No, I-I've never had it iced before. It's-it's delicious." He said, excitedly.

Michelle was almost laughing. "I haven't seen you in here before."

"Well, I, uh... I've been a kept man until recently."

She sat down across from him. "Let me guess. Bad fight?"

"Yeah. We've been through a lot."

"And do you have a place to stay? Any family here?"

"Uh, besides her, I'm-I'm not sure. I'm still looking. But I'm on my own for now."

"I could ask my mom about a room here."

"Really?" She nodded. "Thank you. Uh…"

"Merida."

"Héctor. What I really need, though, is-is a life, a job."

"Well, uh, what do you like to do?" She asked.

He thought for a moment. "I'm a musician."

"You know, the school has a great music program. Since things are changing now, they need a new teacher."

He smiled at the idea.

* * *

Héctor walked a few blocks, heading to the school when he saw a shop reading _'Hernandez: Familia de Músicos desde 1949'_.

"This looks a lot like the shoe workshop back in our world." He said to himself and then realized. "This must be where our family lives."

Héctor took a deep breath, opened the gates to the house, and stepped inside. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him, shocked.

"Papá Héctor?" Michael said, looking up from his guitar.

"_Hola_, everyone." He greeted them with a nervous smile, hoping he wasn't intruding. "Miguel!" He ran over to the boy, excited.

"Oh, Papá Héctor!" Michael ran over to Héctor and hugged him tightly. "I thought I'd never see you again!" He cried.

"Hey, chamaco, it's okay. it's okay." Héctor hugged Michael, trying to calm him down.

"I can't believe it, _Abuelo_," said Angela. "After all this time, all of these 28 years, you were here."

"Victoria! _Mi angelita querida cielita_!" Héctor hugged her and smothered her with kisses. "Yes. I was kept in a coma."

The others looked shocked. "I can't believe it." Natalie said. Then Dante came over them.

"Hey, Dante! Great to see you again!" Héctor greeted the dog, excitedly.

"Aww, what a lovely reunion between the dead and living family." said Ben, leaning against the gate. "But not for a forgotten musician?"

The family turned toward the gate, shocked. Héctor stood protectively in front of Miguel. "You! What are you doing here?"  
"Well, _mi amigo_," Ben said, with an evil grin. "I heard that you woke up from your little coma, and I found you and your little family."

"Stay away from my family!" Héctor snarled, pointing a finger in his face. "You've done enough to us!"

Ben grabbed Héctor by the collar.

"Hey!" Maria stepped in between them. She hit Ben in the head with her sandal and waved him away. "You leave my grandfather alone!"

"Stay out of this! This is between me and him."

"We know all about what you did!" Maria aimed her sandal in his face. "_Mi Abuelo_ is a sweet little _angelito querido cielito_. He wants no part of you! You keep away from him!"

Héctor ran off.

"¡Papá Héctor!" Miguel cried in shock, running after him.

"Miguel! Stop!" Edward and Lucy shouted.

* * *

Soon after, Héctor walked down the school hallway and looked through the glass of the door into the music classroom. A pair of hands suddenly grabbed him and hit him on the head, knocking him out.

* * *

Clark answered the door to the Parr's apartment to see Ms. Cordwain.

"May I have a word?" She noticed he was wearing the Sheriff's badge. "Sheriff. "

"Uh, acting sheriff. And I'm already late on another busy day, cleaning up the mess you made." He was about to turn away, but she held the door open.

"Sorry. That was a moment of poor judgment on my part." He gestured for her to enter. "But I'm here to ask for your help."

"Well, then it shouldn't be lost on you when I say 'no.'"

"Hear me out first. I'm here to report a missing person." She handed Clark the flyer. "He left my house early this morning. His name is Héctor."

"Is this the same guy that you said abandoned your family?"

"Yes. Well, I thought he did."

"Well, why don't you just use your flying jaguar to find him?"

"It only works if you have something the person owned. I-I don't."

"How can you be sure he's gone missing and not... run away?"

"I can't. Look, the townsfolk are less than sympathetic to my plight, but you- you'd understand exactly what I'm going through." She pointed to a picture of Jack and Laura Reed. "Will you help me?"

Clark sighed, but as a superhero, he couldn't say no to someone who needed help.

* * *

Héctor groaned and slowly began to wake up, but found he couldn't move. Looking around, he saw that he was in a dimly lit room, tied to a chair. Michael was tied up too. They were both shocked when they saw each other.

"Miguel!"

"Papá Héctor!" Michael said, looking scared. "Where are we? What's going on?"

They heard footsteps approaching.

"Wh-who's there? What-what do you want with us?" Héctor asked nervously. He and Michael froze in shock as Ben stepped out of the shadows with a sinister look.

"I'm just a man who procures a hard to find songwriter and young musician." He said. "In this case, the songwriter and young musician were you two."

"But to kidnap us?" Michael asked.

"Because you took away my fame and everything from me!" Ben said, angrily at the two. "You and your family ruined me!"

"Serves you right for everything you did to us!" Michael angrily shouted back. "You didn't deserve to have fame!"

Then from out of nowhere came a familiar face, a short, chubby man with a beard and mustache. Hector recognized that man.

"Gustavo?" Hector looked at him, surprised. "You're here too?"

"I'm so sorry this is how we had to be reunited." Gustavo said. "Please understand. I had no choice."

"But why would you kidnap us?" Michael asked.

"After the curse broke, I searched all over for you and discovered you and your family were still alive." Ben explained.

"I warned you to stay away from my family." Hector said angrily.

"So you two were saying you hated us?" Gustavo said.

"I did for all those times you made fun of me." Hector replied. "But it may be over now."

"It must be." Ben said. "Promise me that you will never see that family ever again."

Gustavo then put on handkerchiefs on both Héctor and Michael.

"Hey! Let us go!" They tried to shout.

"You don't understand." Ben said.

"What you did to us. What you already have done." Gustavo added.

"No, you don't understand." Hector said.

"We exposed the truth about you!" Michael added.

"Then you leave us no choice." Gustavo said, putting the handkerchiefs on each mouth.

"Apologies, old friend." Ben added.

"What?! What-what are you doing?! Stop!" Hector and Michael shouted as they were dragged away.

"Good-bye, amigo." Ben said, with an evil grin. "Hope you two suffer."

* * *

Clark and Ms. Cordwain were walking on the sidewalk.

"Still no sign of him. So, what's next?"

"Ellen's." Clark suggested.

"Look, uh... can I ask you a question about you and Laura Reed? H-how is... How does that work?"

Clark looked at her, surprised. "Is the fierce Imelda Rivera asking for relationship advice?"

"Of course not, no."

"Communication. That's how we did it. Hard work and communicating with each other."

"Well... I talk."

"There's a difference between literal talking and speaking from the heart. Nothing taught me that more than this curse."

She took a moment to consider his words. Edward and Lucy soon came rushing over to her.

"Mama Imelda, have you seen Miguel? He's gone missing!" Lucy said frantically.

"What?" Ms. Cordwain looked shocked.

"¡Miguel!" Luisa called her son's name, with the entire Rivera family trying to finding him.

"When did you see him last?" Ms. Cordwain asked.

Luisa began explaining what happened and when they last saw him, even after reuniting with their lost relative, including their dog, Dante who was following them the whole time.

Ms. Cordwain was glad that Héctor got to meet their living family, but now she had to find him and Miguel. "Don't worry, the sheriff will help us find them."

* * *

At the Diner, Clark showed Michelle the 'Missing' flyer. Ms. Cordwain stood a few feet behind him.

"Héctor and Miguel, huh?" She thought for a moment. "Sorry. Don't ring a bell."

"Michelle, listen to me." Clark urged. "If you've seen them, you gotta tell me. I'll make sure nothing bad happens."

"Yeah, but what about her?" She glanced at Ms. Cordwain.

"I've got her. Trust me."

"Héctor was in earlier. He was looking for a job. I pointed him in the direction of the school."

"When do you think he went there?" Ms. Cordwain asked.

"Don't know. But... when you find them, give him this." Michelle went behind the counter and showed them a jacket. "He left it in his booth. You sure you'll watch out for them?" Michelle looked over at Clark.

"Yes. Why?"

"I think... I think my mom can find them. Lately, since things changed, she's been, uh, a little more sensitive to odors."

"Wait, she can smell them?" Ms. Cordwain almost chuckled doubtfully.

"I guess it's 'cause of the bear thing."

-  
Later, Ellen led Ms. Cordwain and Clark down the sidewalk by following the scent from the jacket. They soon arrived at the slum part of town, but Ellen began to turn in all directions as if looking for something.

"What's wrong?" Clark asked.

"I had them, but... I lost their trail. I can't track them anymore. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Ms. Cordwain assured. "An old friend of his lives here." She led the way as they entered the shack and found Ben.

"You again. Out. This is private property. You're not welcome."

"Where are Héctor and Miguel?" Ms. Cordwain asked.

"I won't let anything happen to them." Clark tried to keep her calm.

"We're just worried." Ellen added.

"Don't be. They're fine. So you can stop looking."

"Look, if I could just have the chance to talk to him." Ms. Cordwain pleaded.

"You'll destroy him like you destroyed our friendship. Well, I won't let that happen."

"What have you done with them?" Ms. Cordwain snarled.

"There's only one way to get them away from you."

"What have you done?" She pointed her finger in his face.

"I have to make them forget about you, no matter the cost."

Right away, Ms. Cordwain figured it out. "He's sending them across the town line."

"Where are you sending Héctor and Miguel across?" Clark asked, pulling Ben out of the shack. "You know we have patrols on the Pixfare line to make sure no one crosses accidentally. So how are you planning to pull it off?"

Ms. Cordwain took off her boot and repeatedly smacked Ben in the face. "Where?! Where are you sending them across? Tell me where!"

"Stop it. You're gonna kill him." Clark pulled her away. He looked at Ben's hand, which was covered with mine dust. "You've been down in the mines. The tunnels. They lead out of town."

* * *

In the mines, Héctor and Michael were handcuffed to a minecart.

"Please. Please, please stop." Michael pleaded. "What are you doing?"

"Sending you two on a little ride under the town line. Once you cross, you'll forget who you were in the other realm and who you loved." Gustavo handed them a flashlight. "This should help you find the key. We left it at the bottom of the cart. Good luck." He pulled the side lever, releasing the mine cart, and then left.

"Please don't-don't do this! Please!" Michael cried.  
Héctor and Michael frantically searched for the key at the bottom of the cart. They found it and began to unlock the handcuffs, but accidentally dropped it on the ground. The minecart continued down the track until it suddenly stopped, and then began to go backwards.

"What's happening?!"

They turned around and saw that they were being pulled back by an arrow tied to a rope.

"Nice shot." Ms. Cordwain looked at Michelle, impressed.

With his super strength, Clark was able to pull the cart back up the track until it reached the starting point, where everyone was waiting. He then broke off the handcuffs and helped Héctor and Michael climb out of the mine cart.

"Héctor! Miguel! I was so worried! Thank goodness we found you!" Ms. Cordwain rushed to them, concerned. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, we're fine." Héctor assured her.

"Do you remember who I am?" She asked.

"Yes." They both said.

Ms. Cordwain turned to Ben, pulled off her boot, and struck him in the face with it. "That's for kidnapping my husband and my grandson, and for trying to sending them across the town line! If we were still skeletons, I'd break every single bone in your body!"

"He was mine first! Everything was fine until you came along and stole him from me!"

"That's enough!" Clark interrupted. He turned Ben around and cuffed his wrists.

* * *

In the Diner, Michelle served Héctor a breakfast plate.

"This one is a classic. The syrup goes on the pancakes-the, um, round things." Michelle explained. "But I kind of like when it gets on everything."

"You know, uh, thank you. And not just for this, but... for everything."

"No worries." She smiled. "And stay here until you're on your feet. My mom will be fine with it. Oh, I almost forgot. Someone dropped this off for you at the front desk." She handed him a small box. He opened it to find a key labeled 'music' and smiled.

* * *

At the school, Héctor used the key to unlock the door to the music classroom.

"¡_Hola_, Papá Héctor!" Michael came, as he and Natalie walked to the classroom.

"_Hola, niños_." He greeted the two, smiling.

"We're ready for class!" Michael said cheerfully, showing his one dimple.

"Wonderful!" He put an arm on Michael's shoulder. "I can't wait to get started, too."

Michael was amazed at the new version of the music room. The walls were painted an indigo color, with colorful paper picado hanging, and inspirational quotes. New and shiny objects from the back room. The desk was still there, but now the desks were covered in Gold Silver and their favorite colors along with the name tags and their supplies. The teacher's desk was now completely different. It also had paper picados, a nameplate that read 'Señor Héctor Rivera' in beautiful platinum gold, and a new skeleton decoration.

"Wow! _Qué aula nueva e increíble_. " Michael and Natalie said in unison, amazed.

"Did you and Mamá Imelda do all this?" Michael questioned, curiously.

Héctor was also amazed at the room's decorations. "I had thought about it, but it looks like she beat me to it."

"Well, at least it's so MUCH better than De la Cruz's class." Michael said.

"I thought I might surprise him." Ms. Cordwain came into the classroom and kissed him on the lips.

Héctor looked at her with a goofy smile. "Imelda, you did all this yourself?"

"I thought I would give something to you for coming back to us after 28 years." She explained. "So the family and I helped turn De La Cruz's old classroom to your own. Since you thought about it, so yes, I beat you to it."

"I-I don't know what to say." He was still a little stunned. "I didn't think they'd even want to do this."

"Well, I did ask them for help." Ms. Cornwain explained.

"Papa told me about the classroom, shortly before you and Michael came back." Natalie explained.

Héctor's chest swelled with happiness. He gave them a big hug and let out a loud grito.

"Well, I'm heading back to the Hacienda." Ms. Cordwain said as she headed out of the room, "_Te veo después de la escuela, mi amor._" She waved.

"_Nos vemos luego, mi vida_." Héctor waved back, smiling.

Michael was secretly disgusted by the kiss, but Natalie was swooned by that moment.

"Umm... the class?" Michael asked Héctor.

"Huh? Oh, right." He snapped out of his lovestruck daze and went to let the rest of the class in.

* * *

Charles Muntz stood on a beach and looking through his binoculars. Beside him was his daughter, Katherine Jane, a young woman with vitiligo skin and an hourglass figure. Her red hair was down to her upper back, tied in a ponytail, with black highlights. She wore a blue tank top, beige capris shorts, and black hiking boots.

Evelyn soon approached them. "Hello, Muntzes."

"Hello, Evelyn. You tell me you'd something important you needed to show us."

Evelyn held up the vial that had the door's ashes in it.

"Sparkly dirt. Wonderful." Charles said, not impressed.

"Just the remains of a magical door that can travel between worlds."

"Is it enough to get us where we need to go?" Katherine Jane asked.

"Not quite, but it's a start."

"We're almost ready to fly. What's our port of destination?"

"Pixfare."

"Unusual name. Is that where-"

"She is. And so is he."

"Excellent. You'll be able to see your son. And I can catch myself a bird."

* * *

/It was my co-writer's idea to show Hector reuniting with the Riveras.

I had originally planned to use Charles Muntz as Hook, but we decided to make the character his daughter.

Hernandez is the Rivera family's cursed name from our spin-off 'Tales of Pixfare'


	5. The Doctor

Jack and Laura Reed rode on the backs of Finn and Holley, who were driving back to the safe haven.

"I don't know if I can do this. I'm not a very good liar."

"Oh, it's not really a lie, Holley." Laura Reed assured her. "Evelyn did escape. All true. Just leave the particulars to us. There's no reason to cause unnecessary panic amongst your people."

"I'm not so sure it's unnecessary..."

Finn stopped when he noticed that the guard tower was empty. "Wait. The tower. We always have sentries guarding the entrance." He drew his gun. "Stay close."

The four of them entered the area below the guard tower, where they found piles of corpses strewn across the field.

"Oh my God." Jack looked horrified.

"This can't be. Our land- we were protected here, hidden. How did the robots find us?"

Laura Reed noticed that the bodies were badly beaten. "Robots didn't do this."

"What?"

"Evelyn did. She hypnotized the other supers. This was her technology- twisted and evil. We have to stop her."

"Too late. She killed them. She killed them all."

"No, we have to stop her before she hurts anyone else."

"Hey. Hey. Look." Jack pointed towards a stack of bodies and debris, under which he saw someone waving their hand.

"There's someone under there. She's alive."

"Please."

Laura Reed helped Jack free the person, who turned out to be Katherine.

"It's okay. You're safe now. We won't hurt you."

"Thank you. Thank you."

* * *

Clark stood outside the Diner, talking to several people.

Dr. Whale approached him from behind. "You. We need to talk." Clark turned and punched him in the face. "Oh! What was that for?"

"Sleeping with my wife."

"Evelyn?"

"Helen."

"Look, I didn't know. All right? I was cursed."

"Yeah, I got it. What do you want?" They sat at an outdoor table.

"So... is it true? People are saying that you're trying to find a way to build a portal back to your land because that's where you think Jack and Laura Reed are, that they're alive."

"Well, the whispers can stop. I have no secrets from this town. That's exactly what I'm doing."

"But the land- it's- it's gone, destroyed by the curse."

"Apparently not."

"Well, you're having any luck?"

"Not yet. We're working on it."

"Does that mean that all the lands still exist?"

"Possibly." Clark looked at him suspiciously.

"So Syndrome lied to us. Again. Are you sure?"

"Remember who we're talking about."

* * *

Felix opened his office door, surprised to find Derek standing in the hallway. "Derek. Are you here to see me?"

"I've been trying to keep my promise to Hilary, but it's been hard."

"To not use your weapons."

"It's been two days."

"That's an excellent start. Come on in."

Derek entered the office and sat on the couch across from Felix. "It's just that my weapons are the way I've always gotten everything."

"It sounds like they're also the way you've lost everything. Derek, this is your chance to start over, to earn Hilary."

Derek was about to speak when the door opened and Dr. Whale came in.

"Dr. Whale, this is highly inappropriate." Felix said.

"Send me back." He ordered Derek.

"What?"

"To my land. Send me back to my brother."

"Why don't you check the 'Missing' board like everyone else?"

"Your curse only brought the living."

"Well, then I'm sorry for your loss," Derek said in mock sympathy. "But I'm afraid I can't send anyone anywhere."

"Can't or won't?"

Felix stood up. "Dr. Whale, I have to insist. Please. Go." He demanded. Dr. Whale left and Felix closed the door. "Sorry." Felix returned to his seat. "What you said isn't entirely true, is it?"

"What?"

"About the curse only taking the living. The grave of your father's here, right?"

"I don't care about Whale or his brother. I brought who I wanted."

"Anyone else? If you want help, you have to try and trust me. Stopping power is a lot harder than starting."

"Her name was Maggie," Derek confessed. "I preserved her body with zero-point energy. She's dead but frozen, and I've kept her in my family crypt."

"Because you couldn't let go of her." Felix figured out. "If you can't let go of the past, Derek, it's doomed to haunt you."  
Before Derek got too emotional, he stood up and headed for the door. "You know what? I think that's enough."

"Derek, wait. I-I can help you." Felix tried to stop him.

"I doubt it." He walked out the door.

* * *

That night, Derek was driving home during a thunderstorm. A car cut him off, making him stop abruptly. When he looked up, he saw Maggie staring at him from across the street.

"Maggie?" He stared in shock. Derek briefly looked away, but when he looked back, she was gone.

* * *

Early the next morning, Clark brought Hilary into a high tech room.

"All right." Clark noticed him Hilary yawning. "Come on. What's with the yawn? This isn't school. It should be fun."

"I couldn't sleep."

"Hey. I know. I miss 'em, too. Now just think how happy Jack and Helen will be when they come home to find that you've become a proper superhero."

"Do I get a supersuit too?"

"Oh, you're not fighting today."

"I'm not?"

"No. There's much to learn before you put it on."

"Like what?" Hilary wondered.

"Well, every morning, you'll have to stretch. Then you'll do some exercises. After school, you'll do it again. Every day, twice a day."

"That's not crime-fighting. That's gym class." Hilary complained.

"Ah. Training." Clark corrected her. "It builds up your muscles."

"Okay. But when will I get a suit?"

"When you're ready. I'm gonna go check in on the monsters, see how the scream collecting's coming. I'll pick you up later."

* * *

Derek entered his father's crypt at the graveyard. Underground, he entered a room with a glass coffin. However, he was shocked to find the coffin was empty and Maggie's body was gone. He rushed out of the room.

* * *

"Have you seen her before?" Jack asked Finn as they watched Katherine from a distance.

"Yes, I've seen her around. She came to our camp a couple of months ago."

"Why would Evelyn leave a survivor? It's messy. Doesn't make sense."

"You think she's lying?"

"I think Evelyn's tricked us before. I don't want that to happen again. Here you go." Jack handed Katherine a cup of water. Laura Reed and Holley also joined them.

"I can't thank you enough for your kindness. Fortune, it seems, has seen fit to show me favor."

"An island full of corpses. You're the only one to escape. How exactly did that happen?" Jack asked.

"She attacked at night, slaughtered everyone in one fell swoop." Katherine explained. "I hid under the bodies of those who had already been killed. Pretended to be dead myself. Mercifully, the ruse worked."

"So much for fortune favoring the brave."

"It was all I could do to survive."

Jack got down closer to her. "I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. I'm pretty good at knowing when someone's lying to me."

"I'm telling you the truth."

Jack gave her a slight smile. "We should leave here in case Evelyn decides to come back." Finn suggested.

"We should start searching for a new portal back to Pixfare." Laura Reed argued. "I only got about five minutes with my husband, not to mention my other kids and my granddaughter."

"You have a granddaughter?" Katherine looked at Laura Reed surprisingly.

"Long story."

"Well, I know this land well. I can guide you."

Jack pointed in Katherine's face. "You're not gonna guide us anywhere until you tell us who you really are."

* * *

Derek entered the psych ward in the basement of the hospital, only to find that it was completely deserted. "Dr. Whale? Where are you? Dr. Whale?" He entered an operating room that appeared to have been trashed. The lights flickered on and off, and there was a trolley with a bloody sheet over it. He lifted the sheet and discovered a severed arm. He gasped, stepped back, and bumped into a hanging light behind him. Derek moved the trolley aside to find Dr. Whale sprawled on the ground and missing his arm.

"Whale. Whale. I know you took Maggie's body. Why? Why?! Did you bring her back?"

"I did it."

"She's alive?"

"Yes. I brought her back, but... she's not Maggie."

"What?"

"She's... she's a monster."

* * *

Derek stood outside of Dr. Whale's room at the hospital.

Clark soon arrived. "What's going on? I just got a call that Dr. Whale was attacked."

"You'll have to ask his doctors."

"No. I'm asking you." Clark said firmly.

"I came here to talk to him and discovered he was hurt." Derek argued. Clark gave him a look of disbelief. "It's the truth."

"What else? What did you come here to talk to him about?"

"Someone from my past. I believe she's come back. Maggie. Her name is Maggie."

"The woman you were supposed to marry. I thought she died."

"Yes. She did."

"Well, then how could she be back?"

"Whale." Derek pointed at the window. "He believed he could bring her back from the grave, and... I don't know how... but he has." Derek was almost smiling.

"You don't know how? Guess."

"He practices something more powerful than magic... or so I was told. I need to go. I have to help her." Derek started to leave, but Clark stopped him.

"No. Where is she? Look what she did. She's dangerous."

"Not to me. She won't hurt anyone else, Clark, I promise."

"You know I can't take that chance. You have two choices, Derek- tell me where she is, or jail."

"I think it's like when... you broke out." Derek explained. "She's following her final thoughts to where she last met me- the Supers' Training room."

"No. Hilary. Hilary's there." They both rushed out.

* * *

Hilary was in the Training room, doing exercises. "Gramps says that this will help me become a superhero." She said to herself. "So… anytime. Like, soon?"

Suddenly, the lights started flickering. All the machines stopped working, knocking Hilary to the ground. When she opened her eyes, Maggie was standing over her.

* * *

Laura Reed tied Charles and Katherine to a tree in the park, while Jack, Finn, and Holley interrogated them.

"I already told you. We're just explorers."

"Sure you are." Jack whistled into the distance. "You don't want to talk to us? Maybe you'll talk to the robots while they rip you limb from limb." They heard thumping footsteps approaching. "Come on."

The group began to leave, but Katherine called out to them. "What? You- you can't just leave us here like this!"

Holley stayed behind, unsure. "What if they're telling the truth?"

"They're not."

"Good for you!" Charles said sarcastically. "You bested us. I can count the number of people who've done that on one hand."

The group stopped, turned around, and came over to them. "Who are you?" Jack demanded to know.

"Charles and Katherine Muntz."

"As in the explorer with the blimp and the dogs?"

"Ah, so you've heard of me." Charles smiled smugly.

Again, they heard the sound of robots coming. "You better hurry up. They're getting closer. So you better start talking."

"Evelyn wanted us to gain your trust so we could learn everything there is to know about your Pixfare. She didn't want any surprises when she finally got over there." Charles explained.

"She can't get there. We destroyed the door." Laura Reed spoke up.

"Ah, but the power remains. Evelyn gathered the ashes. She's gonna use them to open up a portal." The robot sounds were getting louder. "Now if you'll kindly cut us loose."

"No." Finn refused. "We should leave them here to die to pay for all the lives that they took."

"That was Evelyn, not us."

"Let's go." Jack and the others started to leave again.

"Wait. Wait! You need us alive." Katherine shouted.

"Why?" Jack asked, turning around.

"Because we both want the same thing- to get back to your land."

"You would say anything to save yourselves. Why are we supposed to believe you now?"

"We arranged for transport with Evelyn, but seeing how resourceful you are, we'll offer you the same deal- we'll help you if you promise to take us along."

"How are you going to help us get home?" Laura Reed wondered.

"The ashes will open a portal, but to find your land, she needs more. There's an enchanted compass. Evelyn's looking for it. We'll help you obtain it before she does."

"So Evelyn won't make it to Pixfare, and we'll be one step closer to getting home."  
Jack turned to Laura Reed, but she shook her head. "Sounds too good to be true."

"There's only one way to find out."

The robots were getting closer and louder. "You tell me one thing- and whatever you say, I better believe it-" Jack threatened. "Why do Muntzes want to go to Pixfare?"

"To exact revenge on the woman who took my chance at fame- Imelda Rivera."

* * *

Hilary slowly stood up with Maggie standing near her. "You- you gotta stop. You're- you're scaring me." She saw the blood on Maggie's hands. "Are-are-are you hurt? Can I help you?" Hilary carefully raised her hand towards Maggie, which caused her to have a flashback of Evelyn. "Let me help you."

Maggie grabbed Hilary by the neck, lifted her off the ground, and began to strangle her.

"Maggie!" Derek shouted as he and Clark ran in. "Let her go!" Maggie dropped Hilary to the ground.

Clark quickly pulled Hilary away. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Go. Go!" Hilary took off, running.

Derek was still staring at Maggie. "It's true. You're really here."

Maggie lunged for Derek, but Clark pushed him out of the way. He then shut the door and locked it. Maggie furiously beat on the door.

"It won't hold for long. Can you use something to subdue her?"

"No. I won't use weapons on her." Clark drew his gun. "What do you think you're doing?"

"She's a monster, Derek! If you won't put her down, I will!"

"Clark, please! Just let me talk to her." Derek pleaded.

"It's too big of a risk. There's no telling what she'll do."

"You have to at least give me a chance!"

"Out of the way, Syndrome!" Clark pushed Derek out of the way. "Now!"  
Derek was now getting hysterical. "No! I won't let you hurt her! She'll listen to me! Please! Let me talk to my fiancé."

After Clark left, Derek unlocked the door. Inside, Maggie had calmed down. She slowly started walking toward Derek, who smiled with tears of joy. She brought her hand up to touch his face, but instead, she grabbed him by the neck, slammed him against the wall and began to strangle him.

"Maggie." He choked. "Stop. It's me. I love you."

Something inside Maggie changed, and she let go of his neck. "Buddy."

"Maggie." They stared at each other and tearfully hugged. "I can't believe it's really you." She pulled away from him, griping her chest in pain. "Maggie?"

"Stop. Just stop the pain."

"How?"

"Just... let me go."

"No. No, I won't lose you again." He shook his head, started to cry. "Without you, I'm lost." She fought to maintain control of herself.

"Maggie. Maggie, come back to me."

"Can't. Can't." She groaned.

"But I love you."

"Then love again." Something inside Maggie changed again, and she turned back to her 'monster' state. She tried to attack Derek, but he immobilized her with his zero-point energy. Devastated, he pressed a button on his gauntlet, turning her to dust.

"Good-bye, Maggie." Derek whispered, heartbroken.

* * *

Jack and company traveled through the forest, guided by the Muntzes.

"Up ahead. We'll find the compass just over the ridge."

"Do you get the feeling they're leading us exactly where Evelyn wants us, that this whole thing's a trap?" Laura Reed asked Jack.

"It's definitely a trap." Jack agreed. "As long as we know they're trying to play us, we can-"

"Stay one step ahead of them."

"Exactly."

The group came to the edge of the forest, where they saw a large mountain in the middle of a field.

"Let me guess. The compass is up there?"

"Oh, yeah."

"So how do we... get to it?"

"It's not the climb you need to worry about. It's the dinosaurs at the top."

The group proceeded onward.

* * *

Derek knocked on the door to Felix's office.

After a few minutes, Felix answered the door. "You're back."

"I used my weapons." Derek explained in a tearful whisper.

"Why don't you come in and tell me what happened?" Felix led him inside.

* * *

Dr. Whale walked down the sidewalk with a cooler. He soon entered Ms. Wood's shop and set the cooler on the counter in front of her. He opened it to reveal his severed left arm.

"When they say I charge an arm and a leg, that's meant as a figure of speech."

"Put it back."

"You want me to reattach your arm?"

"Can you do it?"

"Of course. But first, tell me why."

"Because I want to use it again."

"Obviously. I meant why bring that girl back from the dead? Why now?"

"I thought... I thought that if I helped him, he would return me to my world. I want to see my brother, to try to bring him back again."

"Again?"

"The first time ended badly. I need to return and try it once more."

"Well, it seems that's rather beyond his abilities. My condolences."

"Now my arm." He glanced at the cooler. "You said you can do it."

"Oh, yes. But there's a difference between 'can' and 'will'."

"Name your price."

"Say it."

"Say what?"

"You know what. You came here, not the hospital. So say it."  
Whale scoffed but figured that he had no choice. He took off his jacket to show his bloody sleeve. "I need magic."

"That's all I needed to hear." Ms. Wood waved her hand and magically reattached Whale's arm. He looked at it in amazement.

"Always a pleasure doing business with you, uh, Victor."


	6. Tallahassee

The group approached the base of Clawtooth Mountain and looked up, seeing that it almost touched the clouds.

"It's a little freakier than I remember from the movie." Jack observed.

"Reminds me of death." Finn added.

"Encouraging." Laura Reed remarked.

"Well, your compass awaits. Shall we?" Katherine led the way.

"Wait. If these marigold petals... create... portals," Jack gestured with his hand. "Why not just pick one and go home? Why the compass?"

"Because there aren't any more petals." Charles corrected him. "Whatever story you think you know, young man is most certainly wrong."

"There was a family of dinosaurs and one gets lost and something about fireflies and a wild kid."

"Sounds like a lovely tale, but the truth's a little bit more gruesome." Charles explained. "The dinosaurs grew the flowers, but rather than use the petals for good, they used them to plunder all the lands. There was a man who fought a terrible war, defeating all but one of the evil dinosaurs. The petals were destroyed by the dinosaurs as they died. If they couldn't have their magic, then nobody could. It's really very bad form."

"Evil dinosaurs who made magic portal flower petals?" Jack looked doubtful. "Why doesn't anyone just go up and grow some more?"

"Because one dinosaur survived- The strongest and most terrible of them all. And we'll have to get past him to-"

"The magic compass." Laura Reed finished the sentence.

"Indeed." Katherine agreed. "The treasure remains, and amongst it is the compass. Now it will guide us to your land. Evelyn has the means to open a portal with the door ashes, but she can't find your land without the compass. Once we get it, steal the ashes from her, and we're on our way."

"How do we know you're not just using us to get the compass for Evelyn?" Finn asked suspiciously.

"Because you four are far safer company. All I need is a ride back. I'll swear allegiance to whoever gets me there first."  
Jack looked doubtfully at Katherine but agreed. "Then we'd better start climbing."

"Right, so… I failed to mention that the dinosaur enchanted the mountain to repel intruders."

"All right, so how do we get up there?"

"I've got a gadget from Evelyn. If you'd be so kind." Katherine held up her wrists, which were still tied together. Laura Reed untied her. Katherine held up one of her arms, showing a cuff. "Thank you. I've got one more of these. Evelyn was to accompany me. So… Which one of you four shall take her place? Hm? Go on, fight it out. Don't be afraid to, you know, really get into it."

* * *

Portland, Oregon  
11 years ago

As Jack came out of a building, he looked behind him to see if anybody was watching him. He approached a parked yellow beetle and phased through the door to get inside. Jack then used a screwdriver to start the transmission and drove off.

"Impressive." A young woman, around 18, popped up from the backseat of the car, making Jack scream. "But really, you could've just asked me for the keys." She leaned forward and held up a pair of keys. "Just drive. It's fine."

"I just stole your car. Your life could be in danger."

"Samantha." She introduced herself.

"Yeah, I'm not telling you my name."

"No, I don't need it to have you arrested when the robbery's in progress."

"Jack."

"Good name."

"So do you just live in here, or are you just waiting for the car to be stolen?"

"Why don't I tell you over drinks?"

"Excuse me?" He turned to look at her and unknowingly ran a stop sign.

"Hey. Eyes on the road."

"I'm not having drinks with you. You might be a slut."

"I might be, but you're definitely a car thief."

"I said I was sorry."

"You didn't, actually." They soon heard a police siren approaching. "Oh."

"Darn it."

"That's why I said, 'eyes on the road.'" They pulled over, but Sam noticed the screwdriver still in the transmission. "Screwdriver." Jack gave her the screwdriver and she put in the keys.

A cop approached the window. "License and registration."

"Hi."

"Terribly sorry, officer, but this is actually my car. I'm-I'm trying to, uh, teach my boyfriend how to drive stick." Sam lied.

"He's got a lot to learn."

"I know. But, you know... men."

Jack gave her an offended look.

"All right, I hear you. It's a warning... this time."

"Yeah. Thank you so much."

The cop left and Sam got in the front seat.

"What are you, some sort of a feminist?"

"You're welcome. Oh, go. We got lucky."

"'We'? This isn't your car either, is it?"

"Hmm?"

"I stole a stolen car?"

"Now how about that drink?" She smiled.

That night, Jack waited outside the entrance to a deserted amusement park. After a while, Sam approached him carrying one coffee to go in each hand.

"You said you owed me a drink. I thought we'll meet in a place like a bar. A restaurant. Or someplace - you know - with chairs."

"Patience. I've got something better in mind. Here. Hold this." Sam handed Jack her coffee and kneeled down. Using a wire, she opened the locked door.

"What are you doing?" Jack asked, watching.

"Tumblers. It's all about the tumblers." Sam succeeded in opening the door. "Come on. It's worth it. I promise." They entered the park. Sam switched on the carousel's lights. "What did I tell you?"

"Yeah, alright. It's pretty cool."

"Come on. Hop on."

Jack sat on one of the swings. Sam took a seat in front of him.

"So, what's your story, Sam?" Jack wondered.

"That's an interesting choice of words. My 'story' is that I left a screwed up situation and that kind of screwed me up."

"Crummy home life? I get that."

"Nah, it wasn't always. It- That's the problem. It was really great once."

"So, why don't you go back to try and fix it?"

"I can't really go back. It's my family."

"Strict type?" Jack guessed.

"Not at first. But they changed." Sam explained. "That's when things got really crazy. But before that? It was home. It was nice. That's how you know you've really got a home: When you leave it, there's that feeling that you can't shake. You just miss it."

* * *

The group was still at the bottom of the mountain, and they argued while the Muntzes watched.

"All due respect, I'm the best equipped to go." Finn insisted. "How many fights have you been through?"

"My share." Laura Reed answered.

"It should be me." Holley offered.

"You? You're a tech agent, Shiftwell."

"This is about us getting home to our family. Why would you-" Laura Reed argued.

"Because I have no family. If I fail, you can still go on."

"It's me." Jack spoke up. "I'm going, and I'm not going to fail."

"You're new here." Laura Reed reminded him.

"It's about getting back to Hilary. I don't care what I have to face. You're not going to argue with me?"

"Would it do any good?"

"No. My powers can help me with a dinosaur."

"Come with me." Finn took Jack aside. He pulled out a small grenade and handed it to Jack. "This – knockout gas. He has to inhale it."

Jack nodded. "Your missiles – how strong are they?"

"The most powerful weapons ever made."

"Are they strong enough to blow up that mountain?"

"Indeed."

"Give me ten hours. If I'm not back, you blow it up and keep going."

"Elastigirl won't like that."

"That's why I'm asking you. If I don't get back, you get her home."

"Folks. In this world, we're slaves to time." Katherine spoke up. "And ours is running out. In other words, hurry up." Jack approached her. "I was hoping it'd be you."

"Just get on with it." Jack said slightly annoyed.

"Put your hand right here." Jack put his hand on Katherine's shoulder. She snapped the second cuff to his wrist. "That's a good boy.

This will allow you to climb. There are other dangers. Thankfully, you've got me to protect you."

"Don't think I'm taking my eyes off you for a second." Jack warned.

"I would despair if you did."

"Let's go."

Jack and Laura Reed glanced at each other before he and Katherine began their climb up the mountain. They soon managed to reach the upper part of it.

"First mountain?" Katherine asked. "Well, you never forget your first. You know, most women would take your silence as off-putting, but I love a challenge."

"I'm concentrating."

"No, you're afraid. Afraid to talk, to reveal yourself, to trust me. Things'll be a lot smoother if you do."

"You should be used to people not trusting you."

"Well, I don't need you to share. You're something of an open book."

"Am I?"

"Quite. Let's see. You volunteered to come up here because you were the most motivated. You need to get back to a child."

"That's not perception. That's eavesdropping."

"Ah, but you don't want to abandon her the way you were abandoned."

"Was I?"

"Like I said, an open book. Love has been all too rare in your life, hasn't it? You ever even been in love?"

"No. I have never been in love."

* * *

Jack and Sam soon stopped at a convenience store. Sam wore a bag underneath her dress.

"I think this little guy is hungry. Go ahead and get whatever you want, sweetie. I'm going to get directions."

"I will."

Jack walked up to the clerk. He pulled a map off the shelf and opened it, trying to block the clerk's view. Meanwhile, Sam was swiping food.

"Listen, my wife and I... are really lost. I'm trying to get to Eugene, and I think we've been going the wrong way. Can you show me what's going on here? Where are we, first of all?"

"Okay, wait. Do I look like a tour guide? Why don't you buy the map? Then I can help you."

"Okay." Jack put some money on the counter.

"Okay. Now, your problem is…" While the clerk was distracted, Sam swiped a keychain just as another customer entered. "Is you're way up here. You see that?"

"Oh, my God. That is a problem."

"Yeah. Now what you wanna do is you wanna go all the way south. You have to take 5 all the way south towards Salem. That's right down there. You see that?"

The customer saw Jack pocketing a chocolate bar. "Hey!"

"That's where you're going. You got it?"

"Hey, mister, that guy's stealing that-" The customer began to say.

Sam created a diversion by pretending to be going into labor. "Oh, God! Oh, God."

"Honey?" Jack rushed over to her.

"Oh. Oh. I think- I think it's time."

"He's ready?"

"Oh, yeah."

"You didn't see him take the-" The customer tried to say.

"Oh, it hurts really bad!" Sam shouted.

"Do you guys need help?" The clerk offered.

"No, no, Mister, you didn't see-" The customer argued.

"It hurts really bad!" Sam cried.

"Okay, okay." Jack tried to calm her down.

"You want me to call an ambulance?" The clerk asked.

"No, it's fine! My car's out front. I know, I know. Breathe, baby. Breathe! Let's go! Come on." Jack led Sam out of the store.

"You know they were stealing." The customer pointed out.

Outside, Jack and Sam ran to their car.

"The little guy saved us."

"He sure did. The miracle of birth!" Sam pulled the bag out from under her dress and threw it to Jack.

"Wow. Good haul."

"Thanks. I got you a keychain. Do you like it?"

"Yeah."

They kissed.

"Okay. We got to go."

Later, Jack and Sam waited in a motel parking lot as a family left their room.

"Twenty minutes till housekeeping." Sam observed.

They gave each other a 'let's do this' look and entered the motel room. Jack dumped the bag's contents onto the bed.

"You want to shower first?"

"Oh, look. The family left this." Jack picked up a dream catcher that was left hanging on a lamp.

"What's that?"

"It's a Native American dream catcher." He explained. "It's supposed to keep all the nightmares out and only let the good dreams in to protect your home."

"Its flypaper for nightmares?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Let's keep it."

"Yeah. Hang it where? The car?"

"It's not much of a home. Maybe it's time we get a real place."

"Are you saying-"

"Why not? We've been on the road long enough, baby. It's time we retire the Bonnie and Clyde act. So I think- I think it's time."

"Together?"

"Don't you want to?"

"Like where? Neverland?"

"I'm serious. We could do this."

"Where?"

Sam grabbed a framed map of the United States off the dresser and laid it on the bed in front of Jack. "Where? I'll tell you where. Close your eyes and point. Whatever spot you pick- that's our home."

Jack closed his eyes and randomly pointed to a spot on the map. "Tallahassee."

"We got a winner."

"Is it near a beach?"

"Yeah, it's Florida. Everything's near a beach."

"Okay, then Tallahassee it is."

"Tallahassee it is."

"Are you sure? Is this… What you really want?"

"What I really want is you."

They smiled and kissed.

* * *

Jack and Katherine reached the top of the mountain where they found the ruins of a giant castle, with skeletons scattered around.

"What happened here?" Jack wondered.

"It's where the final battle was." Katherine replied. "Give me your hand."

"What?" Jack looked at his hand.

"Your hand- it's cut. Let me help you."

"No. No. It's fine."

"No, it's not." She grabbed his arm.

"So now you're gonna be a lady?" Jack asked, sarcastically.

"Dinosaurs can smell blood, and I'm always a lady." Katherine uncorked a bottle and poured its contents over Jack's bloody hand.  
Jack winced and cringed in pain. "Ah! Oh! What is that?"

"It's rum. A bloody waste of it." She looked at his cut hand and then wrapped her scarf over it. "Here's the plan. We wait for the dinosaur to fall asleep. When he does, we'll sneak past him into his cave. It's where the treasures are, where the compass lies."

"And then?"

"And then we run."

"I don't have time to wait for a dino to fall asleep. The grenade Finn gave us...we need to use it. We gotta knock him out."

"Well, that's riskier."

"Than waiting for a dinosaur to fall asleep when we need him to?"

Katherine smiled. "Point taken. Ooh, you're a tough guy. You'd make a great explorer." She gave him the grenade. "For someone who's never been in love, you're quite perceptive, aren't you?"

"Maybe I was once."

* * *

Jack waited for Sam by a tree in a park. When she arrived, he held up a paper bag. "I got doughnuts. I got jelly." She faked a laugh. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"No, no. Hey. What's wrong?"

"This was on the wall at the post office." She handed him a 'wanted' poster searching for Samantha. "I didn't even know they still did that."

"When did this happen?"

"I was living in Phoenix- This high-end jewelry place. The manager was drunk. He would forget to lock the case to the expensive watches."

"Sam-"

"I resisted twice. The third time, this guy's asking to get taken. So I-I grabbed a couple of cases of watches and I hopped on a train to Portland. The store's got insurance. Anyway, I stashed 'em in a locker at the train station. They're still there. It's hardly stealing."

"So you got away clean."

"I didn't get away clean. The manager may have been drunk, but the security cameras are stone sober. I thought this heat had died down, but it hasn't. I'm sorry. Tallahassee's out. I gotta go to Canada."

"That's fine. I like maple syrup."

"I gotta go to Canada alone."

"Why?"

"If I get caught, and you're with me, you're in trouble-"

"You're not gonna get caught."

"How can you say that? You think crossing the border's easy?"

"We get fake I.D.s and passports."

"Those cost money. We have a stolen car."

"We make it legit. We take a V.I.N. number off of another car."

Sam started walking away, frustrated. "Jack, I'm not gonna have you in the seat next to me with $20,000..."

"Wait. Wait. Seriously, wait. Wait. Wait." He caught up to her. "What if I go and get the watches out of the locker? No one's looking for me. We can-we can fence them and then we have the money. We can do whatever we want. We can go wherever we want, right? We could change our identities and go to Tallahassee."

"So you... you want to steal the watches to help me with get away with stealing the watches?"

"Yes. That is exactly what I want to do."

"I can't let you risk everything..."

"I love you."

"I love you, too. You think you can do it?

"I know I can." They both smiled, their foreheads touched.

* * *

Jack, armed with the grenade, was perched on top of a statue near the entrance of the castle. Katherine, still on the ground, picked up a large bone.

"You ready?"

"Yeah."

Katherine used the bone to hit a giant shield. They soon heard growling and footsteps approaching. A green Apatosaurus with a long neck, a big nose, brown eyes, and a long tail appeared at the castle entrance.

"Oh, no." Jack said to himself, frozen in fear.

"Hey! Hey! You big lizard!" Katherine shouted. The dinosaur spotted her. "Yeah, you. Huh? You wanna kill a human? Huh? Do you want to kill a human? I'm the worst human around. Come on! Come on then!" She moved towards the dinosaur. "Come on then!"

Jack threw the grenade and it exploded, knocking the dinosaur out. "Katherine? Katherine!" he called.

"He's out cold. I don't mean to upset you, Jack, but I think we make quite the team."

"Let's go steal a compass."

"They hoarded all of their greatest stolen treasures in here—piles of jewels, and every room filled with coins." Katherine explained as they entered a room filled with treasures. She stopped and picked up a coin.

"Let's get to it. The compass."

"What's your rush?"

"How long do you think knockout powder lasts?"

"I have no clue."

"That's my rush."

"Too right, Mister. Come. Everything we need is right in front of us."

* * *

Jack nervously stood in front of the lockers at the train station. Nearby, he saw two cops talking. Holding the key, he scanned the locker for the correct one. He hesitantly unlocked the locker and pulled out the bag of watches. Successful, he casually left the station.

* * *

They kill all the housekeepers, too?" Jack asked. "How are we going to find a compass in this mess?"

"By looking. Start searching." They split up to look around. "I wonder how much treasure we could carry down the mountain. In addition to the compass, of course."

Katherine continued walking when Jack stopped her by pulling her into his arms. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!"

"It's about time." She said, flirty.

Annoyed, Jack pulled away. "It's a tripwire. Quite a security system."

They looked up to see a cage attached to the tripwire.

"Well, that's a plausible excuse for grabbing me, but next time don't stand on ceremony."

"Let's find the compass and go home." Jack gestured for her to go first. "After you."

Katherine went ahead, stepping over the wire.

* * *

Jack rushed into the car, where Sam was waiting for him.

"Oh, thank God." She sighed, relieved.

He handed her the bag and they kissed. "Let's see 'em."

She took out the case of watches and opened the lid.

"That's not as many as I thought."

"Yeah, but they're super pricey. This is twenty thousand dollars, easy."

"Twenty thousand?! Tallahassee…"

"Listen, I'm going to go meet the fence. I'll meet you with the money. Remember where? The parking structure by the tracks."

"Yes."

"Nine o'clock, sharp. This is so there are no mix-ups…" Sam took out one of the watches and fastened it around Jack's wrist.

"So, I guess we're keeping this one?"

"How can we not? Look how good it looks on you." They kissed, again. "Tallahassee, baby. We're almost home." Sam exited the car with the bag.

"Home." Jack smiled at the thought.

Sam walked down a dark street with the watches. Another woman appeared and began to follow her. Sam tried to appear composed but then decided to make a run for it. The other woman chased after her into an alley, where Sam tried to jump a fence. The woman grabbed her and pulled her to the ground before she could scale it.

"You got the wrong one, officer! I wasn't even jaywalking!"

"It's not like that. Do you want to protect Jack? Come with me."

"What?"

"Get up." The woman brought Sam up to her feet.

"How do you know Jack?!"

"Name's Kelly. And it's a long story, but trust me, you want to hear it."

"Alright, Kelly. You're not a cop? Who are you? You got two minutes."

"Think of me as Jack's guardian angel."

"Guardian angel?" Sam looked at her like she was crazy. "I'd say you've been doing a pretty bad job."

"I've been looking for him for the past two years. Now I finally found him, and he's robbing convenience stores with some deadbeat. Tell me again who's doing the bad job."

"Let me tell you something. I'm the best thing that's ever happened to him." Sam argued. "Two years? Where were you the rest of his life?"

"I'm not perfect. This world? Full of temptations. Turns out I'm not that great at saying no. I'm not built that way. But I'm here now."  
"Who are you?"

"We were in the same home as kids, and I thought he'd be safe inside the system, but now that he's out? Back then I promised I would take care of him."

"Well, we promised to take care of each other."  
"You love him. Good. That means you have to do right by him."

"That's all I'm trying to do."

"Then leave him."

"Never."

"He has a destiny, and you- this life? You're going to keep him from it. Okay. Do you believe in magic?"  
"I take it you do."

"So will you. Trust me. I'm going to show you something- Something that's going to make you look at everything differently. And when you see what I have in here, you're gonna listen. You're gonna believe every word I say."  
Kelly led Sam to her motorcycle, where she had a box attached to the back. She opened the lid.

"Yeah, right." Sam said doubtfully. She looked at the contents inside the box and was shocked. Kelly closed the lid. "Okay. I'm listening." Sam agreed, finally convinced.

"There's a curse… and it needs to be broken." Kelly explained. "Jack is the key. I was tasked with keeping him on track, and you, sister, just got caught in the crossfire. Now, I'm gonna tell you a story, and at the end of it, you're gonna have to make a decision. Will you do the right thing... Or not? So… are you ready?"

At the parking structure, Jack checked his watch, waiting for Sam. He tried to call her on his cell phone but got an 'out of service' message. "Darn right it's an error."

Soon, a cop appeared, armed with a gun. "Unless she set you up. Hands above your head, please, Mister."

Jack raised his hands. "Wait. Why?"

"Possession of stolen goods. Left you holding."

"I have nothing."

"Sorry to tell you, but your girl took off. Probably in Canada by now. She called in a tip, told us to take a look at the surveillance footage at the train station. Give me the watch. Now!" Jack began to unfasten the watch from his wrist. "You know your rights?"

"Yeah." He handed the watch to the cop.

"Good boy. Turn around." Jack obeyed and the cop handcuffed him. "Where's the rest of the watches?

"They're gone. They're not coming back." Jack replied, realizing what had happened.

"Let's go."

* * *

"So it's just...in here somewhere?" Jack asked, still looking around.

"Allegedly." Katherine walked over to a golden birdcage. "Give me a boost would you?"

"So I can't see what you're pocketing? No way. You give me a boost."

"Try something new, darling. It's called trust."

Jack sighed. "We do it side by side, and fast. Who knows how long before the-" They heard thunderous footsteps approaching.

"Someone's up. Quickly. Get under something."

The dinosaur charged into the treasure room, causing part of the ceiling to cave in and fall on Katherine.

"Katherine?" Jack shouted.

The dinosaur then charged at Jack and grabbed him with his tail.

* * *

Vancouver, Canada  
2 months later

Kelly stood by the coastline when she saw Sam drive up to her in the yellow bug.

"Been a while. Where'd you go?"

Sam got out of the car. "Tried to lose myself. It didn't work. I want to talk to you about Jack."

"I hope you're not trying to reach out."

"I just- I feel like- it- if I knew that he was okay, then I could move on. Is he?" Sam asked, concerned.

"He will be. He got eleven months."

"That should be me. I should be doing that time." Sam sighed, frustrated.  
Kelly shook her head. "No. We went over this. It's good."

"How's it good?"

"It's a minimum-security place in Phoenix," Kelly explained. "and no, I'm not going to tell you which one. He'll get out of there and he'll be fine. You keep your promise and steer clear, and he can have a good life. He can do what he's supposed to do."

"And if I can't be there for him, you got to promise me that you will be."

"I promise."

"All right, then you should do something for me." Sam pulled money out of her pocket. "I was able to fence the watches. Don't judge me. I'm giving it all to him. And the car. I got a clean V.I.N number for it, so it's legit. I just... it'll feel like I'm there with him, you know?"

"Money's not what he needs... not for what's ahead."

"Can you just see that he gets it?"

Kelly looked hesitant. "Sure." She took the money, keychain, and car keys.

"And one more thing. If anything changes, and he does his job, this insanity ends, and he's free..."

"I'll send you a postcard."

* * *

"I'm not what you think!" Jack tried to say, struggling in the dinosaur's tail.

"You're a thief, and you poisoned me, so yeah, I'm pretty sure you're exactly what I think."

"No. Look, you have a compass. I need it."

"I don't care what you need." The dinosaur tightened his tail's grip, as Jack struggled to breathe.

"No, for my daughter! To save my daughter! Don't you have a family?"

"No. Because humans killed them all."

Jack turned into a monster-like creature and bit the dinosaur's tail. He dropped Jack, who cut the wire with his claws, setting off the trap. The cage fell onto the dinosaur, trapping him.

"Nice security system. Efficient." Jack, now back in human form, pointed a sword at the dinosaur's face.

"No. No! No! No! No!"

"I can tell by your face you know what this is. Let me guess... it's dipped in some sort of poison. You have a compass. I need it."

"You're going to kill me either way. Go ahead. Kill me."

"You don't know me."

"I know your kind. They massacred us and destroyed our flowers."

"I heard it the other way."

"That's because the victors get to tell the story." Jack drew the sword closer. "Okay! Stop. Here." The dinosaur slid the compass across the floor. Jack picked it up. "See? I'm not the bad guy."

"Maybe you are telling the truth. Doesn't really matter. I have to go. Are there any more of you?"

"No. I'm alone."  
Jack spotted a shriveled looking marigold flower attached to the dinosaur's necklace. "What's this? Is this a flower? Can the petals make portals?"

"Not anymore. It was destroyed like the rest of them. I wear it as a reminder... a reminder that you're all killers."

Jack pointed the sword towards him, again. "You're wrong." Jack lowered his sword and started to walk away. When his back was turned, the dinosaur broke free from the cage. He pushed away a boulder that was covering a tunnel that led outside.

"Go."

"Why?"

"Because you could've killed me, and you didn't. You get one favor. Now go, before I change my mind."

Jack started to leave, but then stopped. "Actually... I get two favors."

"What?"

"Well, the way I see it, I could've killed you twice... the poison and when you were knocked out. I didn't."

"What do you want?"

Jack smiled, getting an idea.

Jack pulled Katherine out from under the debris.

"Katherine."

"You are brilliant. Amazing. May I see it? The compass." Jack held out the compass for her to see. "It's more beautiful than legend."

Suspicious, Jack withdrew his hand and pocketed the compass. "Come. Let's go." Katherine extended her hand to Jack, but, instead of taking it, Jack grabbed a nearby shackle and chained Katherine to the wall. "What are you doing? What are you doing?"

"Katherine, I… I-I can't-"

"Jack, look at me. Have I told you a lie? I brought you here. I risked my own safety to help you. The compass is in your hand. Why do this to me now?"

"I can't take a chance that I'm wrong about you. I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? You're sorry?! I got you here! I got you the compass!"

"I got the compass."

"Well, you're just going to leave me here to die? Have that beast to eat me, to crush my bones?"

"He's not a beast. And you're not going to die. I just need a head start – that's all." Jack walked out of the room.

"Swan. Swan! Swan!" Katherine shouted.

Finn checked the clock, seeing it had been ten hours. He drew his missiles and aimed them at the mountain.

"Whoa. Wait! What are you doing?" Laura Reed ran toward him.

"Just stay back. Jack gave me ten hours."

"No! No! No!"

"What, you're just going to leave him to die?" Holley asked.

"Ten hours. He may already be dead."

"No." Laura Reed and Holley cried.

Finn launched a missile at the mountain and a surge of magic was released upward.

"NO!" Laura Reed charged towards Finn.

"No, stop!" Holley shouted as Laura Reed tackled Finn to the ground and they began to fight. "Stop! Stop!"

"This was your son's wish!"

"I don't care what you say! You do not put my son in danger!"

"Stop!" Jack appeared at the base of the mountain. Laura Reed and Finn stopped fighting.

"Jack-Jack! You okay?" Laura Reed ran toward him, out of breath.

"Two earthquakes and teleporting from a mountain. I think my brain's still rattling around a little."

"I did what he ordered, nothing more than that. Did you get it?" Finn said.

"Yep." Jack showed them the compass.

"Where's Katherine?" Holley asked.

"She's detained. Let's go. Get your stuff. We got ten hours before she follows us."

"What? How?" Laura Reed asked.

"I got a friend looking after him till then." Jack started to follow Finn and Holley when Laura Reed pulled him back.

"You told him to blow it up?"

"Yes. I couldn't risk-"

"We go back together. That is the only way." Laura Reed said sternly. "Do you understand?"

They hugged. "Yeah."

"Good. Now, let's go get that dust from Evelyn."

"Yeah, and go home."

"Mm-hmm."

* * *

Jack sat in a jail cell in Phoenix, Arizona. A female guard entered, holding a manila envelope.

"Swan, you got mail. Know anyone in Phuket?" Jack didn't answer. "I've got to open this in front of you. Those are the rules." The guard opened the envelope and held up a set of car keys. Jack recognized the attached keychain. "Okay. Look. Car keys. Hope you got the car it goes with. Nothing else. No letter. Sorry." She put them back in the envelope. "But good news. You get a car when you get out." She turned and left.

* * *

In the Parr's apartment, Hilary was asleep in bed when she suddenly woke up, screaming.

"Hilary? Hilary." Clark rushed downstairs to check on her. "Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. You're okay." He tried to calm her down. "You're okay. You're okay, you're okay."

"I-I just had the worst nightmare."

"It's over now."

"Okay."

"Okay? Here. This will help." Clark plugged in a nightlight.

"A nightlight?"

"Yeah. They keep the nightmares away. Now, talk to me. What was so bad?"

"I… I was in this room, and… And it was red." Hilary explained. "And there were no doors, no windows. And these curtains… And they were on fire. And… I was in this corner."

"Right."

"And… And… And… And I was looking out, and there was someone else there. She was staring at me through the flames. Th-Then I woke up and…"

"Hey, don't worry, alright? It was just a bad dream."


	7. Mum Goes Wild

The monsters were in their makeshift scare floor, continuing to collect screams.

"Shut the doors, scarers!" John announced. "First round at Ellen's is on me!"

The other monsters cheered.

"Come on, Wazowski. We're going to miss happy hour."

"Ellen's running a two-for-one special."

"We got work to do."

"But you're tired. We all are. A break could help."

"Mr. Incredible asked us to collect screams- To help bring Elastigirl and Jack back home, and that's what I'm going to do!" Robert tripped on a canister and flew across the floor. "Whoahhhhh!" He rolled into a garbage can and bumped into a shelf. A pile of tools landed on his head. "Oof!"

The kids all began laughing. All around, the lights glowed even brighter than before. The building lit up by the laughs' power radiated outwards from the windows. The lights flared to a white-hot brightness, and then POP! The laughter subsided, and all was dark.

Clark was soon called to the scene. He arrived at the warehouse with Hilary, Dash, and Violet. "Where is he?"

Amelia guided them to where the other monsters were gathered, along with all of the filled canisters.

"Are those all filled with…" Hilary asked.

"Human laughter. It's ten times more powerful than scream." John explained.

"You mean, this can be used for power?"

"Yes. Do you still have the pieces of that door?" Clark nodded. "Put it back together. Keep it safe. Because, by this time tomorrow, we'll have enough power to make it work again."

"So, Mom and Jack-Jack-" Dash and Violet looked hopeful.

"That's right, kids." Clark smiled. "We're bringing 'em home."

* * *

At the Diner, everyone was celebrating with a round of drinks.

"To the monsters!" Clark announced. Everyone cheered and drank as a toast. "That was quite a fall. Are you ok?" He asked Robert.

"I've had worse."

Everyone laughed. From behind the counter, Michelle walked over to clean up one of the tables. Matt soon approached her.

"You know, I was a tow truck. My name was Mater. Tow Mater. I lived in Radiator Springs, I hung out with Lightning McQueen."

"And, why are you telling me this?" She asked awkwardly.

"Uh, we ain't had a chance to talk since things done changed. I just wanted you to know who I was… back home."

"Uh, can I, um, still call you Matt?"

"Shoot, you can call me anything you want, as long as you let me buy you a drink after your shift. I already know Miss Michelle. I want the chance to meet Miss Merida."

"Um, tonight's actually not great. Because..." Michelle nervously glanced at the clock.

"Uh, we, uh, we have, uh, plans." Hector came up beside her.

"That's right, um, it's game night. I'm bringing the snacks."

"Okay. Um... Maybe next time." Matt left, disappointed.

"Thank you." Michelle turned to Hector, relieved.

"I can spot someone in trouble. He seems really nice."

"It's-it's complicated." Michelle glanced at the clock again and walked away, leaving him speechless.

On the other side of the diner, Hilary was drinking a cup of coffee.

Clark soon joined her. He looked at the contents of her cup. "Is that coffee?"

"No." She said guiltily.

"Trying to stay up, huh?" She nodded. "Still worried about those nightmares?" She nodded again. "Well, don't be. Cause when you go to sleep tonight, I'm going to be right in the next room." She nodded in agreement, smiling. "Now maybe lose the java and go grab a cocoa."

Hilary left the booth, to which Richard Walker sat down across from Clark.

"Congratulations... Sheriff. Quite a celebration."

"What are you doing here?" Clark asked, shocked to see his old boss.

"You may have taken care of me in the old world, but in this one, we get another go at each other."

"Whenever you're ready."

"It's a big moment for you, isn't it? On your way to getting your family back."

"Yeah. Yeah, it must be hard for you, you know, watching good win."

"Good?" He laughed. "So sure of yourself. But I know the truth. You're still just a nobody pretending to be a hero. You weren't fit to save a city, and you sure aren't fit to help this town."

"I think the people of Pixfare might disagree with you."

"Today. But I'm going to see to it that they see things my way, that they see you for who you really are. By the time I'm done with you, you'll wish you'd killed me when you had the chance."

Clark stood up. "The people of this town know who I really am, and they've seen me defeat you before. So if you want to try and take me down, they'll see it again." He took his drink and walked away.

In the back of the diner, Ellen was welding a cage of sorts out of one of the walk-in freezers.

"Almost done." She took her helmet off. "Let's finish clearing out those perishables."

Clark soon walked in. "What's this?"

"We're making a cage." Michelle explained, emptying out the freezer. "Know anybody who might want thirty-eight frozen lasagnas?"

"I'm sorry. What?" Clark looked confused.

"I know. Nobody would believe it if you told them my lasagnas was frozen."

"No. Why are you building a cage?"

"Tonight's the first night of Bearstime." Ellen confessed.

"I thought you figured out how to control the bear in you ages ago?"

"Yeah, but thanks to the curse, I haven't turned in 28 years. I might be rusty. I can't let what almost happened last time happen to anyone else."

"What about your tapestry? That could keep you from turning."

"If I had it. I've looked everywhere. I even went to Wood. It's not in town. I don't think it came over with the curse."

"Ellen, I know you. I trust you. Helen trusted you. Bearstime or not, you won't hurt anyone tonight."

"Maybe. But I can't afford to take any chances." Ellen stepped into the freezer and Michelle closed the door.

* * *

The next morning, Michelle entered the diner and turned the lights on. She headed to the back to wake Ellen. "Are you awake yet, Mum? Mum, Mum." When she got to the freezer, she was shocked to find that Ellen had escaped. "Mum!" Scratch marks lined the walls and the door, which lay on the floor. Michelle rushed out of the Diner.

* * *

Hilary stood in the burning room from her nightmare. She tried to defend herself from the flames. "Help! Help!"

Across the room, another person appeared. She called out to them. "Hey! Hey! Who are you? Where are we?" The person didn't respond.

"Hilary? Hilary, wake up." She heard a voice say. She woke up, panting to find Derek beside her. "It's okay. It's okay. You're okay."

"Wh-wh-what are you doing here? Where's Clark?"

"He got an emergency call this morning, and he asked me to look after you. He told me you've been having nightmares. It's okay. You can-"

He touched her hand and she recoiled in pain. "Aah!"

Derek reached to inspect her hand and gasped to find a burn running up the side of it. "Is that a burn?" He looked horrified, realizing what was happening.

* * *

"This way. Over here." Michelle led the way as she and Clark searched the woods. They found Ellen asleep on the ground, under a pile of sticks. "Mum. Mum, wake up."

"Hey."

"Where am I? What happened?" Ellen asked, groggily.

"You're in the woods." Clark answered as they helped her stand up. "You must've fallen asleep here last night."

"I don't understand. You put me in that cage. You locked me up."

"The freezer was torn to shreds when I came to check in on you this morning." Michelle explained. Ellen gasped.

"Ellen. Ellen, it's all right." Clark tried to calm her.

"No. It's not. I don't remember anything from last night. This is exactly what I was afraid of. Oh, my God. Did I do something last night?"

"Ellen, all we know for sure is that you broke out and ran through the woods. There's no reason to assume the worst." His phone began to vibrate, and he answered it. "Sheriff. Yeah. Okay. I'll be right there."

"What is it?"

"Somebody left their car double-parked in front of the cannery. I gotta go check it out on our way back into town. Hey. Relax. Everything's going to be okay." Ellen nodded in agreement.

* * *

Clark, Ellen, and Michelle arrived at the docks in the Sheriff's car. The got out of the car and found Matt's tow truck.

"That's Matt's truck." Ellen observed.

"Great. Who do I call to tow a tow truck?" Ellen soon had a curious look. "What is it, Ellen? What's wrong?"

"I smell blood."

The three of them looked all around the site.

"Where's Matt?" Clark asked, after checking the empty truck.

"Here." Michelle replied, finding a bloody body underneath the truck.

"Oh! It was the bear! It was me!" Ellen began crying frantically.

* * *

In the living room of the apartment, Hilary showed her burnt hand to Ms. Wood.

"Oh, yes. You were quite right to call me."

"So y-you can help? It was just a dream."

"Well, what you're describing is certainly not a dream."

"Then what was it?" Derek demanded to know.

"A side effect. You know, it's remarkable you'd cast a curse you know so little about."

"My victims aren't supposed to wake up. That's why I certainly never cared about what happened to them after. Until now." Using the kit of potions she brought along with her, Ms. Wood began to prepare a potion. "When people fall under a Sleeping Curse, the soul travels to a netherworld where it resides until awoken. Now, this world is between life and death, and it's very real." She carefully dripped the various liquids into a pendant attached to a chain. "However... even when the curse is broken, sometimes in sleep, the victims find their way back to that world- victims like you."

"This other world is tormenting my daughter every time she sleeps." Derek almost snarled at Ms. Wood. "I want you to give her something that will keep her from going there."

"Well, I'm afraid that's not possible. I can, however, provide you with something that will allow her to control her actions whilst in that world. And once one controls something, one no longer need to fear it." She held up the finished product.

"A necklace?"

"You wear this while you're sleeping. Once you control the journey, the fear will stop. And then you can come and go as you please."

Ms. Wood extended the necklace to Hilary, but Derek stopped her from taking it.

"Everything comes at a price with you. What do you want for this?

"For a house call? You couldn't afford it. But this is for Hilary. This one's on me." She handed the necklace to Hilary, who, this time, took it.

* * *

"It had to be something else, Ellen." Clark tried to assure her.

"No, I did this! We both know it." She shouted, still in tears.

"No. A few months ago, everyone thought I was guilty of murder. I needed someone to believe in me. No one did. I'm not going to let that happen with you."

"You never killed anyone. I have."

"I know who you really are, Ellen, even if you've lost sight of it."

"It doesn't change the fact that I'm going to turn again tonight, and somebody else could get hurt."

"Maybe this isn't the place to have this discussion." Michelle chimed in, noticing people gathered around.

"It's okay. I'll protect her." Clark started walking toward the crowd.

"No! Lock me up. If the freezer couldn't hold me, maybe a jail cell will. I don't need to be protected from other people, Clark. Other people need to be protected from me."

Michelle nodded and began to lead Ellen away.

* * *

At the sheriff department, Clark locked Ellen in a cell for protection. "You'll be safe in here tonight."

"Thank you, Clark."

"Thank me in the morning. By then, I'll have found whoever really hurt Matt." He entered his office and put the keys in the desk drawer.

"You already have." Richard Walker entered the station. "That thing. That she-bear."

"Get out. Whatever issues you have with me, don't involve her. There's no proof Ellen had anything to do with what happened."

"It seems to me that you're allowing your emotions to cloud your judgment."

"Leave him alone." Ellen stood up, angrily.

"Protecting your friend at the peril of everyone else. I knew you'd slip up, Parr. It was only a matter of time."

"What do you want?"

"Justice. Hand that over to me, and let the town decide her fate."

"Never. I know exactly what kind of justice you have in mind."

"This town is bigger than you think. I start telling people that you're putting their lives in danger to protect your own interests, you'll have a mutiny on your hands."

"Yeah, we'll see. You want her, you have to go through me."

"I look forward to that." He turned and left. Clark and Ellen looked at each other.

* * *

Richard had gathered up a mob in front of the Sheriff's station. He tried to open the front door but discovered it had been chained shut. Not particularly bothered, he turned to address the crowd.

"We won't cower in fear of this creature any longer! We know who she is, we know where she's hiding. So why is she still alive? Because she's being harbored by one person – Clark Grimm. How many more people have to die before our super decides to act?"

"Yeah!" Everyone cheered in agreement.

"If he won't protect you, I will."

Richard gestured for one of the men to break the chains. Once inside, the mob headed towards the jail cells. However, they found the cell was empty.

* * *

Ellen had been relocated for safety reasons. She and Michelle have gathered at the school to protect and secure her. Ellen found a set of shackles.

"These should work."

"Thanks for letting her hide here." Clark entered the classroom with Héctor. "The Sheriff's station isn't safe."

"Of course. It's, uh, It's not every day you find out your friend's-"

"A monster?" Ellen finished the sentence.

"Hunted. I was going to say hunted."

Ellen then heard something in the distance. "The crowd's six blocks from here."

"You- you have bear hearing, too?" Héctor asked, surprised.

"It's not all it's cracked up to be, especially when you run a hotel."

"The only way we're going to get the mob to stand down is if we prove Ellen had nothing to do with Matt." Clark spoke up. He perked up with an idea. "I'm going to need your help." He pointed to Michelle, then turned to Héctor. "If the mob comes this way, call us. Come on." He left the room with Michelle, leaving Ellen and Héctor alone.

"You need to leave. The moon's going to be up soon." She warned him.

"But will the chains hold?"

"Hopefully."

"Then, I'm staying." She started to back away. "What's wrong?"

"I know Clark wants to believe the best, but I've almost killed before, and I'll do it again." She grabbed the chains. "Everyone in this town is right to be afraid of me."

"Okay, well, I'm not."

"You should be."

"No matter what you might've done in your past, Clark sees the good in you, and… and that tells me one thing."

"What?"

"That it's in there. So if we can all see it, why can't you?"

"You really think so?" She asked, touched.

"Trust me. I'm sort of an expert when it comes to rehabilitation."

"Maybe. Maybe, you're right." Ellen moved forward as if to hug him, but slipped a shackle on his wrist. "But the town's right, too. I am a monster, and that's why I need to make sure I don't ever hurt anyone again."

"Wait, wait, wait. Wh-What are you doing?"

"I can't let you stop me. The mob wants a bear, I'm going to give them one. I need to pay for all I've done."

"And they'll kill you."

"Isn't that what I deserve?" She turned around and left the room.

* * *

Outside on the street, Clark and Michelle searched for evidence that Ellen was been framed. She sniffed Matt's jacket to pick up a scent.

"This way." Michelle led them to a parked car. "The trunk."

Clark popped open the truck. Inside, everything appeared to be normal. However, underneath, they found the tapestry and a hatchet in the spare tire compartment. "The bear didn't hurt Matt."

"Our tapestry."

"So she'd be forced to change back into a bear." Clark figured it out. "So whoever hurt Matt could pin it on her."

"Who would want to hurt my mum?"

Clark tried to open the driver's side door, but it was locked. He smashed in the window with his fist, opened the door, and found the registration. "This isn't about Ellen. It's about me. Walker."

"Your old boss?"

"He needed a reason to wrestle power away from me, so he created one."

They heard a bear growling in the distance.

"She's out."

"The mob. They're going to kill her."

* * *

Richard and the mob have now gathered outside of the school. They heard growls in the distance. "She's close." He led the mob to an alley, where they found Ellen, in bear form, hiding behind a dumpster. "There you are."

Richard drew his gun and was about to shoot the bear, but before he could, Michelle shot the gun out of his hand with her bow and arrow.

"I'll not let you kill my mother!"

"Ellen!" The crowd protested angrily as Clark arrived, dressed in his supersuit. "Listen to me! Ellen didn't hurt Matt. He did." Clark pointed at Richard. "He stole their tapestry and hurt Matt to make it look like a bear, all to get you to think I wasn't leading this town as I should." The bear growled, causing the mob to start to move forward. "Hold up! Somebody almost died because of what this man did. Let's not spill more blood. She won't hurt anyone. She's just scared."

Clark slowly edged towards where the bear was hiding, the tapestry in hand. "Ellen? I know you're in there, so listen to me. It was Walker, not you. Don't let him trick you into thinking you're a monster." The bear growled. "Alright. Alright. Poor… Poor choice of words. Please. Ellen. I know you. I know the real you, and I know you can control the bear." The bear began to back away as he came closer. "Ellen. Ellen? Ellen." His hand was now inches from her. "It's me. Clark."

The bear stopped growling and obediently sat down. Clark quickly threw the tapestry over her, transforming her back into a human.

"You saved me."

"No. You saved yourself. I just reminded you of what you already knew."

Behind them, there was a commotion amongst the crowd. They ran over and find Michelle thrown on the ground.

"Merida!" Ellen shouted, concerned.

Clark helped her stand up. "What happened? Where's Walker?"

"He's gone. Go. Go."

"Okay."

Ellen made sure Michelle was alright before she and Clark got in the Sheriff's car and drove off.

* * *

At the beach, Ellen and Clark found Richard standing next to a fire.

"You think you can hide from a bear?"

"I wasn't trying to hide."

"You hurt an innocent man." Clark accused.

"He was a tow truck."

"He was better than you'll ever be."

"You want to make a deal? It's not going to happen."

"I'm not interested in making a deal. I just want to see the look on your face when you realize something."

"What's that?"

"That you're never going to see your wife or your son again."

"What are you talking about?"

"You really should be more careful with something so valuable." Richard pulled out a box with the door pieces and tossed them into the fire.

"No! No." Clark rushed toward the fire.

"It doesn't matter how much laugh power you gather... or how much you rally the town behind you. Your family's gone."

Clark punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground. He grabbed Richard by the throat.

"Clark, don't."

Richard chuckled. "I told you, you should've killed me when you had the chance."

Clark let him go. He dropped to his knees in front of the fire, hopelessly.

* * *

Later, at the apartment, Clark and Ellen sadly watched Hilary sleep.

"She may never see her father or grandmother again. The other two may never see their mother or brother again. How am I going to break that news to them?"

"You won't have to."

"Travel between worlds is as hard as it comes. Power on its own isn't enough. It took an entire curse to get us here in the first place. Without the door-"

"You'll find another way."

"You don't know that."

"But I know you, and I know you'll never give up until you do. And, Clark, you're not going to be doing this alone."

He sighed deeply and nodded. "Thank you."

"Do you mind giving Michelle a call?" She turned to leave.

"Sure. Why? What for?"

"I may have left Héctor chained up in the school. Somebody should probably-"

"Unchain him?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah. I'll take care of it." She opened the door. "Where are you going?"

"I've still got a few hours of Bearstime left. You helped me regain control. I want to do something I haven't done in a very long time."

"What's that?"

She handed him the tapestry. "Run."

Clark watched as she rushed out the door. He heard growls outside and smiled.

* * *

Laura Reed sat alone in the woods, deep in thought. Jack approached her.

"What are you doing?"

"Uh, just thinking."

"Come on. Finn has some ideas where Evelyn might be hiding."

The two headed back to the camp. Meanwhile, Holley was asleep, slightly twitching.

Holley was in the burning room from her nightmare. She screamed as the flames jumped at her.

Suddenly, Hilary appeared across the room, wearing her necklace. She tightly closed her eyes, and the flames gradually subsided.

"Wait. Don't be scared."

Holley jerked awake up from her dream. "Elastigirl! Elastigirl!"

Laura Reed and Jack rushed over to her. "Hey. I'm here. It's okay. It's okay. It was just another nightmare."

"No, this time, it was different. There was a little girl. She… she put out the fire. She talked to me.

"A little girl?"

"What'd she say?" Jack also asked.

"She said… she said her name was Hilary."

Jack and Laura Reed looked at each other, surprised.


End file.
